To Change the World, First Change Yourself
by A-Dream's-Nightmare
Summary: His Crazy Past, My Insane Future' revamped! A little bit darker, but loads better. Sasuke and Sakura finally realize their destiny to be with each other...on their deathbeds. Fate decides it isn't the end and sends them back in time to right the wrongs.
1. How Many Times Can I Break Til I Shatter

_**Okay! So i'm finally redoing this story! This is the revamped "His Crazy Past, My Insane Future". It will be a little darker than the original, since I'm better at those kind of stories. And they're more fun to write. But as I said, there will be NO OC'S! Got that? I'm taking out the OC's. I'm sorry if you loved Tae, Soren, Ayame, Haruka, and any others I may have added, but they're gone. Sorry.**_

_**Disclaimer: All I own is the bit of dirt on the bottom of my shoe- oh wait, this farmer just told me it's **_**his**_** 'land'. Shoot....**_

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It was a beautiful day in the quaint village of Konoha that morning. Birds could be heard singing in the trees as people walked through the streets, occasionally greeting one another. Academy students could be seen running amok at the Ninja Academy, whereas their teachers desperately tried to control their young pupils.

Yes, today was an average day in Konoha, one of peace and joy...

"Damnit! I _hate_ today!"

The birds flew off in a hurry, knowing that if they did not escape in time, they would be the next victim of the young man's anger. Three people, or more specifically, three shinobi stood in a small clearing in the woods, surrounded by various training dummies and wooden targets.

The smallest of the three, and the youngest, stood apart from the other two, heaving deeply as his arms finally fell limp to his side. His chest moved up in down in time with his breathing as his erractic eyes tried to find purchase on something stable. In the end, he chose to stare at the kunai lodged deeply in the tree. As a master, he knew the throw had been most excellent; the weapon was buried so deep into the hard wood, only half the blade was visible and it would take considerable strength tp pull it out. Yet he found no joy or pride knowing that he was the one who had executed the throw.

Standing beside the impaled tree, were the two elder shinobi. One had hair as black as his own, but was wild and in disarry, but could not be tamed by the ponytail he had pulled it back in. Even as it fell down to his back, it stuck out at random places, signalling that it was hair hard to control. His black eyes were considerably lighter than his cousins, choosing to be more of a dark grey than onyx black. He stood beside the female of the team, who stood out with her navy blue hair and eyes. Like her teammate, her hair was wild and pulled back into two uncontrollable pigtails. Adorning her pigtails, attached to the hairbands, were two miniature paper bomb. Anyone who knew at all who she was, knew that they were not fake.

"I don't see why you're so upset," the older man shrugged his shoulders, sighing at his younger cousin's temper, however rare it was," It's only your birthday."

"That's right," the female chipped in," Today is all about you. You should be happy." The younger man simply glared at her in reply.

"Why should I be happy?" he retorted," I _hate_ having attention on me. And today only makes it worse."

At this point, the older man grinned evilly," It's because of your mother, isn't it?"

The younger man opened his mouth to say a witty remark, when another voice cut him off; a highly feminine and much more excited voice.

"Ohhhh! It's finally your sixteenth birthday!" a feminine woman seemingly appeared out of nowhere and latched herself onto her eldest son in a tight embrace," We must make plans for a huge celebration! And we _have _to include the _entire_ clan! And maybe a few of your ANBU friends!" The boy tried in vain to escape his mother's grasp, but failed miserably as she continued to squeal and rant," I'll even bake a cake and set up decorations!"

"Kaa-san!" the boy finally yelled in frustration, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as his teammates laughed at the scene.

"Stop laughing damnit!"

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"Remind me to kill you when we next meet," she growled up at the boy-no, the young man- hovering over her. He seemed entirely menacing from her position where she lied upon the ground, battered and bloody. She knew her arms were useless to stop him, broken as they were. She knew her knee was most likely bent in a horrifying position, but felt no pain in her leg. The nerves were severed and burned. More than one of her ribs were broken, making it near impossible to breath. Other cuts and injuried adorned her body, but she paid them no mind.

The only thing that gave her satisfaction was the man above her fared no better. Blood covered his entire body, both his own and hers. Somehow he stood, even though she had broken his right legs. His left arm hung limply at his side, either paralyzed or broken, she couldn't tell.

"There won't _be _a next time," he said quietly. Her once emerald eyes blinked and she tried to smirk. She had half expected him to say _'You were a fool to come after me alone. You're as weak and annoying as ever.'_ It just goes to show how much she knew him.

It was only when he picked his katana up from the ground beside her, did she understand. Yet as he held it threatenly above her, more than ready to end her life, she only felt the lightening feeling of relief, knowing the end of her pain was near.

Smiling slightly, she merely closed her eyes, letting the heavy feeling of sorrow leave her body and soul," That's one thing you're wrong about. I'll find you in Hell."

Above her, he narrowed his eyes. Since when was she not scared of death? Since when did she so easily give in to the inevitable? The girl he had always known fought against all odds, always coming back for more, just like their teammate. She had always refused to accept what could not be changed, believing that strong will and pure unadulterated emotion could conquer everything. With a frown, he realized that this was not the girl he had once known. And somewhere deep in his heart, he knew that _he_ was the reason why the sweet and innocent girl he once protected was long dead and gone.

"No..." his voice came out rough and cracked; he didn't know whether because of the emotion or the blood rising in his throat," We won't ever see each other again. Hell is one place you'll _never_ go."

Dull green eyes shot open to stare at his dull grey eyes. "Kill me and we'll find out," she said, an unknown tone in her voice. That voice was of one who had seen too much fighting and betrayal. One who's love and happiness had been squashed and replaced with hate and sorrow. Her viridian eyes which once sparkled with joy were now rimmed with tears.

"They once told me, when we die,..." she started to speak softly, not realizing that he was hanging onto every word," That all of our dream and hopes are made into reality. They once told me that we are sent back into a time where we were once happy; the memories we'll never let go..."

He hung his head in shame, somehow knowing exactly what years were the happiest for her. The times when _he _was there. Something thick and heavy settled in his chest, suffocating him and making his eyes blur; _he_ caused the end of that happiness, just like his brother had ended his happiness. Was he truly no better than that monster? In searching for revenge for his own pain, had he truly passed that pain onto someone else? Someone who once loved him?

The katana fell to the ground beside her with a clang. Surprised, she looked up at him, not quite ready to see the tears falling from his own eyes. In an instant, he fell to his knees beside her, reaching out for her. She had the briefest feeling of being moved, before finally realizing that she was lying in his embrace. He clenched her tight to him, letting his tears fall freely.

"I'm sorry," he choked out," Kami, I'm so sorry, Cherry." She let a small smile grace her lips; so he actually remembered the nickname he had given her years ago? Slowly, achingly, her arms moved on their own accord, moving to wrap around his torso, returning his embrace. She knew that she should be screaming in pain, but none of that mattered as she lied in his arms. In response, he held her tighter, afraid that she would disappear from his arms.

"It's okay," she softly whispered to him, wishing she had the strength to stroke his hair and comfort him," I forgive you." He choked on another sob; she knew he felt as if he didn't deserve her forgiveness. "I still love you," she whispered, hardly more than a breath, as she closed her eyes for the final time," Sasuke-kun..."

And they were finally together, finally the way they were supposed to be; in each others embrace and hearts intertwining as one, as they died in each other's arms.


	2. If You Just Realize What I Just Realized

Beep...Beep...Beep...

The steady beeping of machines slowly brought him to open his eyes. Slowly, cautiously, he opened his eyes, revealing deep grey eyes that once shone onyx black. He was greeted by a white light, which at first, he mistook for Heaven, but soon realized it was just the ceiling.

"Oh dear!" a female voice caught his attention," You're awake already?!" He tried to turn his head to locate the source of the voice, but failed. Fortunately, a brunette head soon filled his vision as what he guessed was a nurse leaned over him to inspect his vital signs and look for any signs of shock.

"You shouldn't even be concious," she muttered to herself, shocked as his eyes moved back and forth, trying to see his surroundings," You should've been in a coma for _months_."

"Where am I?" he asked weakly, when she opened his mouth to check for blood in the back of his throat. With a squeal, she instantly released him.

"Dear Kami!" she breathed heavily, as if she's seen a ghost," You're even well enough to speak?!"

He tried to glare at him, but the facial expression hurt to much. Luckily, she seemed to get the message and stuttered out," Ah, y-you're in Sunagakure. Yashamaru-sama found you by the gates and brought you here. It took a whole team of doctors to save you. Y-You've been in a coma for three days."

He wanted to nod, to acknowledge that he heard her, but it was impossible.

"Now, don't go tell the boy wrong information Michiko," a woman with short blonde hair then appeared in his line of vision for a brief moment to look him in the eyes. Before he could narrow his eyes at her, she vanished from his sight, but continued to talk to him.

"I wasn't the one to find you. The children did. Now if I may ask, seeing as you're well enough to speak, who are you?"

He was silent for the longest time, trying to decide if it was worth it to tell them who he was. For a moment, he wondered why they did not know who he was. If he was Suna, they should've instantly known that he was a feared missing-nin. Was he truly that badly mangled that he was unrecognizable?

Inwardly, he cringed, fearing that he was indeed mangled beyond recognition. But on second thought, he figured if they truly did not know who he was, then perhaps there was no harm in telling them his given name.

"Sasuke," he finally croaked out," My name is Sasuke." Tired of talking too much, he closed his eyes and surrrendered to the sleep calling to him.

_Suna, huh?_

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_Huh? Where am I? Aren't I supposed to be dead?_

Opening her eyes, the first thing Sakura saw was a white ceiling. At first, she assumed a hospital, but soon realized this was a bedroom.

"Where?..." she whispered, the words harsh on her throat," Where am I?" There was no answer, but she was not expecting one. She could feel her chakra running through her body, weak and little, but healing her nonetheless. Because of this, she felt well enough to turn her head and move her limbs.

_If this is my paradise, my time of true happiness...then where is Sasuke-kun?_

Slowly, she sat up, wincing when she clenched her stomach muscles, disturbing the wound in her gut. But with green eyes, she looked around, finally reassured that she was indeed in a private bedroom. There was the bare minimum: a bed, dresser, walk-in closet, and two doors, one most likely to a bathroom. The only sign that someone lived here were the blood red satin sheets on the bed and a small picture on the dresser. Not bothering to inspect the picture, she turned and swung her feet over the bed. With glee, she realized her broken bones had been set and were healed for the most part. She could walk.

Smiling to herself, she stood up. She could see none of her things in sight, but she knew that there were no need for weapons in Heaven. Vaguely, she wondered why she was not completely healed, but figured that this was Kami's punishment for all the sins she's done as a shinobi.

_I have to find Sasuke-kun_.

Hobbling over to the door, she was delighted to see that it was open. Poking her head out, she was disappointed to see the hallway empty. There was no Sasuke, Naruto, or even Kakashi waiting for her. Silently, she closed the door behind her and took off down the hallway. She had to find Sasuke-kun. She had to see if he made it to this paradise too, or was he still in that battlefield, bleeding to death and holding her dead body in his cold arms?

She could only hope that he made it here with her too.

As her mind was occupied with thoughts of Sasuke, she failed to notice a woman appear beside her," Well hello there!"

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks, swiveling in her heel to stare at a beautiful woman with black hair and eyes smiling widely at her. The older woman smiled brightly at her, her eyes sparkling with pure joy.

"I didn't expect you to wake up so soon," she said, reaching out a hand to steady Sakura when she threatened to topple over in shock," Sure, they said you were a medic-nin and were slowly healing yourself in your sleep, but they said you wouldn't regain consciousness for at least two weeks. And here you are, three days later, running down the hall."

The older woman laughed at the irony of it all, finally releasing Sakura from her grip.

Sakura could only stare at her in shock. She had no idea who this woman was. With a thud in her brain, she came to the true realization.

She was not dead. This was not Heaven. She was in some unknown house with a lady she's never seen before. What if she was still in Oto? What about Sasuke?!

Suddenly fearing for the worst, Sakura leaped back and took a defensive stand.

"Where is Sasuke-kun? Where is he?" she demanded, growling at the woman in warning.

_I swear to Kami, if they took him back to Orochimaru..._

"Uh, you mean my son?" the woman merely blinked, not entirely sure what was going on.

_Son? No, Sasuke-kun's parents were killed years ago._

"The man I was with," she said lucidly, never taking her eyes off the seemingly clueless woman. She glared hard at the woman, demanding an answer.

"But...you were alone when we found you..."

"No!" Sakura screamed out, clenching her fists," My teammate was right there with me! He was holding me as I died! He wouldn't just leave me here. He _has_ to be here. I _have_ to find him. I...I..."

As tears leaked from the corner of her eyes, she suddenly found herself in a bone-crushing hug from the strange woman.

_Ehh?!_

"Oh, you poor thing!" the woman cried, huggin her even tighter," You must be frightened after your ordeal! Don't worry, we'll find whoever did that to you! Then the entire _clan_ will make sure nothing happens to you again!"

"Lemme goooo!" Sakura wailed, struggling to escape as she desperately wiped away her tears. But the crazy woman refused to let go.

"Mikoto," a male voice suddenly spoke up, gaining both their attentions. Turning their heads, they both saw a middle-aged man in an old-fashioned kimono standing before them.

"Teishu! (Husband)" Mikoto turned towards the man and declared rather loudly," The poor girl is terrified! We must show her that we will protect her and not let her get hurt again!"

"I'm not _scared_," Sakura said in exasperation, dusting herself off and straightening her skirt. Finally standing straight, she faced the married couple," Now tell me who the hell _are _you people and where am I?"

"I'm Mikoto and this is my husband, Fugaku!" Mikoto grinned, pointing to herself and to her husband for emphasis.

Sakura could only sigh. Okay, so they weren't a threat, so maybe it wouldn't do harm to be polite back.

"Hai. I am Sakura," she nodded towards the two of them," I'm sorry being a burden, but I really must find Sasuke-kun."

"Do you mean my son?" this time it was Fugaku's time to blink in confusion.

Sakura shook her head, it was starting to get troublesome to keep having them think she was looking for their son. "Iie," she shook her head," I am positive he's not your son. My Sasuke-kun's family was killed years ago as a child."

Mikoto's eyes widened at the information. Unknown to Sakura, the eccentric woman was currently going back into 'loving mother mode' as her sons called it...

"Noooo! The poor boy! Whoever he is, he must be terribly lonely and sad! We must find him and adopt him into the clan. Then I can adopt little Sakura-chan and finally have a daughter of my own!"

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"Sakura-san," Fugaku spoke up, catching the pink-haired medic-nin's attention. The trio was currently sitting in the kitchen, drinking tea and eating little sandwiches made by Mikoto. ("My little Sakura-chan needs her energy if she is to make a full recovery.")

"Do you want to explain to me why we found a missing-nin's hitai-ate in your hands when we found you?" Fugaku asked, narrowing his eyes at the young girl. Sakura's eyes widened, especially when he pulled out a very familiar hitai-ate with an uneven scratch across the Konoha leaf symbol.

Both Mikoto and Fugaku gazed at her while she stared at the old and worn out hitai-ate; her eyes glazed over as she thought about the owner of that certain hitai-ate. She knew she could not tell these people that Sasuke was a missing-nin; not only would they stop her from finding him, but might also believe her one as well. And she couldn't lie; if the way Fugaku was gazing at her was any clue, he would spot a lie a mile away.

"It belonged to an old friend," Sakura decided a partial truth would suffice," Two of my close friends got in a huge fight and...well, he wouldn't be alive today if the hit hadn't been absorbed by the hitai-ate. We keep it as a memento of that day."

"Is that what happened to you?" Mikoto asked, forgetting about her suspicion about Sakura and went straight to worrying," Did you get inbetween their battle? Did they hurt you?"

"Eh? No," Sakura quickly defended, waving her hands," Sure, they fought all the time, but our sensei stopped them before the attacks could ever accidentally really hit me. Besides, the battle where this got scratched was three years ago."

"Good," Mikoto muttered under her breath and folded her arms with a sour look on her face," Cuz if they did, I would kill them for ever hurting my daughter." Sakura stared at the woman incredulously; not even one hour and this woman already thinks she's her mother...

_Maybe it's best if I don't tell her that it was Sasuke I was fighting before they found me...._

"Could I please have it back?" she asked Fugaku," It means a lot to me."

Frowning, but finding nothing wrong with her story, he silently handing it over. Just as her hand wound around the metal, footsteps approached the kitchen.

"Kaa-san, we're back!" a young voice shouted and two figures, one relatively small, entered the large kitchen. All three of them looked up at the newcomers. However, Sakura's eyes widened when she saw a familiar face; a face that had not been all that friendly in recent times...

Confused onyx black eyes looked down at her shocked emerald ones while he raised an eyebrow. An aristocratic nose scrunched ever so slightly as he regarded her with questioning eyes, but more importantly, was more intruiged by the sudden fearful look on her face.

"Sakura?" Mikoto saw the look in Sakura's eyes and leaned forward, worried. Sakura didn't answer her and merely kept her eyes on Itachi. Not even realizing she was doing it, she scooted back, further away from Itachi.

_It...It _can't_ be..._

"I think she's scared, Teishu," Mikoto poked her husband in the shoulder, nodding her head rather pointedly at Sakura. The young woman was still staring worriedly at Itachi, who merely gazed back at her, now trying to remember if he'd seen her somewhere before.

"Sakura," Fugaku sighed and called to the girl. Sakura blinked and finally tore her gaze from Itachi in favor of Fugaku. "These are my sons," he began, waving his hand towards the two male figures," Itachi, the heir to Uchiha Clan, and my youngest son, Sasuke."

"Nii-san?" the miniature version of Itachi tugged on his older brother's sleeve while looking at her with cute, confused eyes," Who is she?"

At that moment, upon seeing an 12 year old version of her first love, Sakura felt the world go black and the back of her head hit the floor.

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_**Review please? =) i'll love you forever if you do. let me know if you like the new version better. **_


	3. I Can't Believe We'd Die For These Sins

_**I'm back bitches! I has a fun game for all of you! The titles of all of the chapters in this story are from refrains of well known songs. Some of them are obvious, some are not. See if you can guess the correct song the line is from. Kudo's and **__**spoilers**__** to whoever can send a message, saying the right song to me. Give me the correct song title, i'll give you spoilers on future chapters or answer ANY questions on the story. **_

_** Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, the mystery of TenTen's last name would be solved...It would be Hyuuga...**_

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Once again, the first thing she saw was that infuriating white ceiling. Growling under her breath, Sakura grumbled and rolled over onto her stomach. When she accidentally brushed the large wound on her side, she hissed fiercely and channeled healing chakra into her hands. Upon placing her hand over the wound, she relaxed, feeling the gash slowly healing. Despite concentrating on the task at hand, she recognized the room she was in as the one she originally woke up in.

_I wonder how the hell I wound up here..._

She pondered her strange predicament, still trying to decide if she was truly in the past, or had really died and was somehow in Sasuke's memories instead of in her own. Yet somehow, that answer didn't seem right. For the time being, she could only assume that she truly was in the past. She wondered briefly if she should stay with the Uchiha Clan, or leave the village, in order to prevent changing the past.

But maybe that was why she was here. Maybe how her story ended wasn't how it was supposed to end. When one sat down and thought about it, the start of the end in her time was when Itachi destroyed the Uchiha Clan. If he had not committed the massacre, Sasuke wouldn't have been so bent on revenge, willing to do anything to get it.

She frowned, remembering all that had happened before she died. Sasuke had finally gotten his revenge; Itachi was dead. But for some unknown reason, he joined Akatsuki and was preparing to attack Konoha. Naruto and Kakashi obviously knew something; something they never told her nor were ever planning on telling her. She had seen it when she went to announce to Naruto that she was going after Sasuke; he had almost said something, but Yamato stopped him.

She didn't want to do it. She just wanted to save Sasuke from himself. He was going down and dark path and had no desire to head towards the light. (Thankfully, she was proved wrong at the last moment before her death. But she would _never_ forget the look of pure regret and sorrow in his eyes as he held her until she drew her last breath.) She never understood why he wanted the fall of Konoha and it appeared she would never understand.

But if she was here and now, maybe she could change all of that. Maybe she could give Sasuke a second chance at life; give _them_ a second chance. Give Team 7 a second chance; a chance to be a real team. One with teammates who loved and protected each other. If she could give that to Naruto and Sasuke, it was the least she could do. She had let them down so many times in the past; they were always saving her and she was always dragging them behind. The least she could do is provide for their happiness.

But onto the task at hand. If she was truly meant to end the Uchiha Massacre, that meant she would have go up against Uchiha Itachi, the murderer. Back in her own time, even as powerful as she was, Sakura stood no chance against Itachi. But now, in the past, before he had the years to perfect his training, perhaps she had a chance. But...the one glance Sakura had at the older Uchiha brother left her confused...

She had learned the Itachi destroyed the Uchiha Clan when he was only thirteen. Yet...when she had seen him, he did not appear to be thirteen. If her eyes were not fooling her, she would say he was sixteen, like her, not thirteen. Back in her time, he was seventeen when he came to Konoha for the first time, in attempt to kidnap Naruto. That had been four years after the massacre, not just one. And for little Sasuke, he was certainly not nine. No, he looked about twelve...

"You're a medic-nin," a monotone voice broke her out of her thoughts. The green chakra in her hand spluttered a couple times before completely going out. She frowned, recognizing that voice, and slowly sat up. Uchiha Itachi stood in the doorway, looking at her with impassive black eyes. For a mere moment, she considered that one might think they looked like Sasuke's: deep, dark, and cold. But there was something different about Itachi's. Sasuke's eyes had always been full some kind of emotion, whether it be hate, anger, or annoyance. But Itachi's eyes were blank. Sakura could not decifer his emotions like how she could with Sasuke.

"Hai," she nodded slowly; he had seen her heal herself, it was no use hiding it anymore.

"What else aren't you telling us?" he demanded, his voice cold and hard. Had Sakura been her twelve year old self, she would've flinched at the harshness. But she was a strong woman now, even in the presence of a man who had once been feared by all. Instead, she sat up straight and faced him with fire in her eyes.

"I see no reason to answer to you," she retorted," As far as I'm concerned, Fugaku-san is the Head of the Clan and it is _him_ that I should answer to." Itachi frowned at her for a moment, as if annoyed by her sassy answer. But in the next second, he gave a light smile. It took Sakura by surprise; she had never seen an Uchiha smile; Sasuke certainly never did. As Itachi smiled at her, she thought it looked rather good on him. His facial features softened and she could see a tiny bit of emotion in his eyes. Amusement.

"I knew it would be quite interesting if we took you in," he said, stepping forward into the room," The doctors suggested we keep you for the time being to keep you under watch, seeing as we did not know where you came from."

He continued to smile calmly as he walked forward until he was standing beside the bed. As she looked up at him warily, he took a seat on the bed next to her. It confused her with how casual he was being; he was talking and acting around her like he would an old friend.

"But since you have a Konoha hitai-ate," he continued speaking, not caring if she was listening or not, but knew she was nonetheless," And also have medical training, Otou-san says you were most likely the apprentice of a former medic-nin from Konoha, correct? If I had to take a guess, I'd say you are the apprentice of Tsunade, the Slug Princess."

By the way he smiled at her, Sakura had the impression of the smile Sai used to give to her. It clearly said that he knew exactly what he was saying, and if she tried to deny it, he would know she was lying through her teeth.

"Hai," she nodded," She took me in three years ago when my team split up. We all went out and found our own teachers. I found Tsunade-shishou."

"Aa," he nodded, letting the smile slide off his face," But that doesn't explain your tattoo."

"My...what?" she blinked, trying to feign pure confusion. In the back of her mind, her thoughts wandered to the bandage on her left arm, wondering if they had removed them when they were healing her.

"Don't try to lie, Sakura," Itachi warned her," It will only land you in trouble. I know full well that you bear the ANBU tattoo on your left arm." Unconsciously, Sakura's right hand went up and gently covered the bandage on her arm. "And the area surrounding the tattoo was slightly red, suggesting you just got it recently," he went on, suddenly finding that toying around with a kunai was very interesting.

She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing that what he said was true. After the fall of Konoha by Pein's hand, things had gone out of control. As they were slowly rebuilding their great village, it was discovered that they would need more ANBU to protect the village and take on more missions. A select few were chosen and even few approved by Danzou, the new Rokudaime Hokage. Sakura still doesn't know why she was approved by Danzou, but figured it was because she Naruto's teammate and he wanted to use her to control Naruto. The day Sasuke's execution was announced and Cloud's shinobi went out to hunt him down, she recieved the ANBU mark. Danzou himself gave her her first mission: protect Konoha from outside influences until it's fortifications could be reestablished. It was simple enough orders, but she was treated like a true ANBU all the same. She even had a uniform waiting in her closet back home, never worn yet. She left it there when she went after Sasuke, but took her mask. A mask of a beautiful red cat.

She never told anyone from the Rookie Nine that she had made ANBU. She knew of a few others who had made it, such as Neji, Shino, and TenTen. Shikamaru had been offered the position, but turned it down, refusing it out flatright. Rock Lee tried, but never got Danzou's approval for his lack to use chakra.

Sakura hung her head, remembering the painful memories of what she used to call home...

"It was...necessary..." she said quietly, wishing upon wishes that Itachi would leave it at that and not question her further. To her secret joy, he did not ask any more about it, but pointed out something to her.

"You did not want to become ANBU," he commented.

"Like I said, it was necessary," she repeated," It was not my choice."

Itachi was silent for the most part. They both just sat there, thinking their own separate thoughts. It was Itachi who was the first to move. He stood up and walked back towards the door. Sakura listened to his footsteps as he walked; soft, quiet, gentle. When the footsteps ceased, she looked up and saw him standing in the doorway, his back to her. His rough hand rested on the doorknob, just sitting there as if he had just opened it. He never glanced back at her, so she could never imagine what his face looked like as he spoke.

"They say there is always a choice...But as ANBU, people like us know that we have no choice. There never is one..."

And as he walked out, Sakura did not know what to think. Yet in the back of her mind, in a stray thought she would not look back on until she fell asleep that night, she realized he had said _'people like __**us**__.'_.........

* * *

Uchiha Fugaku sat at the kitchen table, drinking his tea and thinking rather hard. His wife, Mikoto, was busying herself at the stove over some concoction he's rather not know of. His youngest son, Sasuke, sat at the table as well, doing his Academy homework. For a brief moment, Fugaku wondered how his youngest son was doing in school; hoping that he was the best in the class. (Of course he is.) But no, his thoughts were mainly on their current houseguest, Sakura.

They had found her three days ago, on Itachi's sixteenth birthday. Sasuke had been at the training grounds, trying to get some training in before the party. He had been training even more often now; he would be taking the Academy graduation exam in a year and then placed on a shinobi team. But on that particular day, instead of bringing a present to his brother's birthday like most people, he arrrived late with a letter from the Hokage.

As if appeared, he had found Sakura at the training grounds, in life-threatening condition. Having found Iruka of the Ninja Academy, together the two of them brought her straight to the hospital. After a brief visit with the Hokage, Fugaku discovered that she was very important to Konoha and would need a place to stay until better accomodations were made. Seeing as it was his son who found her and that she was obviously someone well known to the Hokage, Fugaku offered his home. When the Hokage agreed, Fugaku had to hold back a smirk. He was sure he had gained a little bit more of the old man's trust...

So Sakura was given the guest room and visited daily by a medic-nin. Upon the second day, the medic had asked if there was anyone else caring for the girl medically. When they told him no, and after further investigation, they discovered that the little pink haired woman was a medic-nin herself. Even unconscious, her own healing chakra was running through her body, trying to heal on its own. The medic had said it was a rare ability, to be able to condition chakra to heal even unconsciously; it took absolute perfect chakra control and even more perfect training.

And during this whole ordeal, Itachi had been a little more than content, having been forgotten completely. Having a mysterious house guest called for more attention and Itachi enjoyed his personal freedom while he could.

"So what should we do about Sakura?" Mikoto asked her husband. Fugaku looked up from his tea at his wife, who was still hovering over the stove.

But it was not Fugaku who spoke next, but rather, Sasuke. "You know, she reminds me of someone from the Academy," he spoke, never looking up from his homework," A girl with pink hair and a really annoying personality. Haruno Sakura."

"Hmm," Fugaku rubbed his chin, thinking," Pink hair is not a very common thing. Perhaps they are sisters...but why would they have the same name?"

"Do we even know if she is a Haruno?" Mikoto interjected.

"Hn, no," Sasuke answered, still not glancing away from his homework," The Hokage said her full name was Senju Sakura."

The name definately caught his parents' attention.

"What did you just say?" Mikoto whipped around and for the first time in her life, spoke in a hard tone to her youngest son. Sasuke looked up, surprised to see his mother in such a state.

"Uhh," he blinked, not quite sure how to handle this. Both his parents were looking at him, demanding an answer. He was not too sure what was going on, but judging by the look in his father's eyes, he was in deep trouble if he did not give the answer they wanted.

"Uhh, the Hokage said her full name is Senju Sakura?" he repeated nervously.

His parents stared at him for a second more, before returning to what they were doing as if nothing ever happened. Sasuke was beginning to develop a headache; he was still trying to catch up with everything that had happened. His mother was cooking, acting as happily as she always did. His father returned to drinking his tea, but muttered under his breath," A Senju...Of _course_ she's a damn Senju..."

* * *

_What the fuck is this?_

The only word Sasuke could use to describe his emotion at the moment was just plain confusion. Three nine year old children faced him in a line, each staring back up at him.

"Sasuke, meet my niece and nephews," Yashamaru introduced. When she introduced them by name, Sasuke did not pay attention. He already knew who they were.

_Holy fucking shit!_

Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara stared up at him with big wide eyes, watching him with hawk-like observations skills, as if waiting for him to do a trick or something close to it.

"And since he doesn't have any place to go to until he fully heals and we don't know where he came from, he's gonna be staying with us," Yashamaru finished, addressing the children. All three broke their gazes away from Sasuke and looked at their aunt.

"Yay!" Temari and Kankuro cheered, happy that their new 'friend' was staying. Gaara remained silent.

"Aa," Sasuke nodded in agreement, then turned to Yashamaru," Could you tell me where the training grounds are?" Sasuke needed to think. And of course, whenever he needs to think, he can't think of any place better to think then training grounds.

"Can we come with?" Temari's eyes lit up hopefully as she nudged her way into his line of vision. Before he knew what he was doing, Sasuke found himself nodding.

"Yay!" once again, the eldest Sand siblings ceered and both raced off in the direction of wherever the training grounds were.

"I think they like you," Yashamaru smiled widely, lightly punching him in the arm. He glared at her for a moment, both for suggesting that the children liked him and for even touching him in the first place. But the older woman ignored it as she turned around and began walking home," Be back before nightfall."

Sighing, Sasuke started walking in the direction the hyper duo had gone in. When he felt something in his stomach clench, he stopped in his tracks. It was then he noticed that Gaara was still standing in the exact place he had been ten minutes ago. The redhaired child was staring at the sandy ground, thinking kami knows what.

"Are you coming?" Sasuke asked, glancing back over his shoulder. Gaara's head shot up so fast that it probably left him with whiplash. He stared at Sasuke with huge aqua eyes, shocked that Sasuke had even asked him a question.

"If you want to be a strong shinobi, you're gonna have to train," Sasuke continued, speaking in a completely serious tone. He was sure of what he was saying and decided not to treat Gaara as a child. He wouldn't treat any of the children as little kids; they would one day be shinobi and needed to be treated as such.

Sasuke could remember a time when he first discovered that Gaara possessed Shukaku, the Ichibi. Naruto had told him that the entire Sand village feared Gaara and treated him like a monster; rejecting and hating him...

Not waiting to hear Gaara's response, Sasuke headed back towards the training grounds. He never slowed his stride, even as he heard Gaara's little feet pounding after him. Soon enough, the little redhead appeared at his side, silent as ever.

"Arigatou...nii-san," Gaara mumbled, keeping his eyes ahead and never looking at Sasuke, no matter how much he wanted to. But he could not help himself and glanced up at the older man.

Sasuke was watching him out of the corner of his own eye and Gaara could _swear_ that he saw the beginning of a smile on his face...


	4. And We Started at Zero

_**GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE! THE EARTH SAYS HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, there would be more catfights between Ino and Temari for Shikamaru. **

**It's short, I know. I sorry.**

* * *

When Sakura finally decided to leave the room, she only got ten feet down the hallway before that infuriatingly peppy woman, Mikoto, suddenly appeared before Sakura. With a shriek, the startled medic-nin skidded to a halt, just barely managing to avoid hitting the older woman.

"It's good to see you up and about again, Sakura-chan," Mikoto grinned widely, doting over Sakura like an overenthusiastic mother (which, don't get me wrong, she most definately is)," You gave us quite a scare yesterday. Itachi didn't even have time to catch you before you hit the floor." Wide eyed, Sakura shook her head, trying to keep up with Mikoto's rapid paced questions. Not noticing that she was rambling, Mikoto continued on," Thankfully, since you're a medic, you already healed your minor concussion before you even woke up. But you never did tell us what happened. You just fell over so suddenly. Just why _did_ you faint, Sakura-chan?"

Ahh, so then came the important question everyone's been dying to ask. At first, Sakura was unsure exactly how to explain to Mikoto that she was from the future and that her precious son, Itachi, was doomed to kill them all. Yes, that would make quite a nice conversation with the Uchiha matriarch, would it not?

"I apologize, Mikoto-sama," Sakura smiled at the older woman, deciding that once again, telling a partial truth would suffice," It's just that I had no idea that you were the prestigious Uchiha clan. I was startled after discovering that I had acted so callously around the head of the clan. I'm sorry if I've offended you."

Thankfully, the eccentric woman accepted Sakura's explanation, if one could tell from the wide grin on her face. " Oh, you don't have to be so formal in this house, Sakura-chan!" Mikoto exclaimed, waving her dainty pale hand," Just because you just found out we're the Uchiha's doesn't mean that you have to act different around us. What did you think we'd do? Kill you because you're a Senju in the Uchiha- Oops!"

Shocked at the words she had accidentally released, Mikoto slapped her hands over her mouth; her panic obvious in the widening of her eyes. Nervously, she glanced at Sakura, who had gone oddly quiet.

_Senju?_

_**The Senju clan was hated by the Uchiha. It's the reason why they hated the fourth Hokage, and then Naruto.**_

_But I'm not a Senju..._

_**They believe you are.**_

"Sakura-chan?" Mikoto parted her hands just enough to whisper out the girl's name in questionment (is this even a _word_?). Absentmindedly, Sakura glanced at Mikoto with blank green eyes. She saw no hatred in the older woman's eyes, only worry and concern. But that couldn't be right...

The Uchiha _hated_ the Senju. Hated them for becoming the rulers of Konoha, for becoming the Hokage line when all the Uchiha's wanted was their chance at glory. To be forever known as Hokage's, and not just a powerful clan.

But no matter how hard Sakura looked, she could not find a trace of hate in the Uchiha matriarch.

"Sakura-chan," Mikoto continued when Sakura would not speak, but speaking slowly as if she was talking to a frightened animal that could bolt at any second," It's...It's okay if you're really a Senju. We won't do anything to hurt you. We took you in because you were hurt and we wouldn't turn you out just because of your name. Just please...don't be afraid of us."

For the longest time, Sakura was silent, much to Mikoto's chagrin. When the rose-haired girl spoke, her voice was gruff," Who said...who told you my name is...Senju Sakura?"

"Why...the Hokage did."

"Oh," was all Sakura could say, although the gears in her head were spinning out of control. She didn't even want to _think_ about how the Hokage even knew she was there, or why he called her Senju Sakura. Did she really look like a Senju just because of her bright characteristics? The Senju were always known for their bright and colorful attributes (easily recognized in Naruto's ocean blue eyes and sunshine yellow hair) whereas the Uchiha were always the dark half of the circle. The Senju were the Yin, and the Uchiha the Yang.

"Mikoto-sama?" Sakura asked quietly, her voice a little harsh, as if she was forcing herself to speak.

"Yes?"

"Do you...Do you hate me?"

What Sakura never expected was for the older woman to wail loudly and throw herself at Sakura, determinedly locking the young kunoichi in a motherly embrace. Sakura could not react fast enough and could only stand there, shocked beyond belief.

"No no no, Sakura!" Mikoto wailed and hugged Sakura even tighter," I could never _hate _you! You're like the daughter I never had!" Sakura smiled lightly; Mikoto reminded her so much of Tsunade when she was drunk. When totally hammered, the Fifth Hokage would become emotional and overtly attached to both her and Shizune.

_"I wuuuuuuv you, Shizune-chaaaaan!"_

_"Tsunade-sama! You're drunk again!" _

_"Neh, what did you expect, Shizune?" Sakura shook her head as she entered the office, hands full of papers from the hospital._

_"Sakura-chaaaaaan!" the overly drunk Hokage all but leaped from her desk and had her pupil locked in a bone crushing embrace," I wuv you, my best student!"_

_"Shishou, I'm your __**only**__ student."_

_"But still my beeeeeeest!"_

While Mikoto continued to squeeze the life out of Sakura, the young kunoichi couldn't help but smile back and return the hug.

"I believe you, Mikoto-san," she whispered, feeling the words pass her lips before she even knew she said them. She wasn't sure if Mikoto heard her, but could only assume when the older woman tightened her embrace. As Sakura slowly became accustomed to the feeling of being held and protected once more, a nagging thought tugged at the back of her head. It was the feeling of having a mother again. Of having someone there that loved you regardless.

With a sudden revelation, she realized that she, in some tiny hidden part of her heart, also saw Mikoto as the mother she lost so many years ago. As she glanced at the Uchiha matriarch, a certain warmth flowed through her body, finally settling down in her heart. And she realized that she would protect Mikoto; even from her own son, Itachi...

* * *

"Sakura-san," Uchiha Fugaku faced the young but formidable kunoichi with a serious face," I have recently spoken to the Hokage." Sakura could only nod silently, still not quite understanding why the Uchiha patriarch had called her away from Mikoto for a private word in his study. Obviously what he had to say was of importance, but she couldn't understand how it had anything to do with her.

"Seeing as you have no family remaining, and as we are the ones to begin treating you after your ordeal," he continued, ignoring her nod completely," We have agreed that you will be placed under Uchiha name until you make a full recovery."

Fugaku could not have said more shocking words. To Sakura, the world seemed to have stopped moving. If what Fugaku just said was true, it meant that Sakura was now under Uchiha protection, given a few Uchiha rights, was to be _treated_ as an Uchiha. This was a huge step for Fugaku, who upheld his clan's name as a first priority. Now he was all but bringing Sakura into the clan; _Sakura_, a common kunoichi with no heroic tale or fame; or even _Senju _Sakura, who was the sworn enemy of the Uchiha.

"Ano, Uchiha-sama," she blinked up at him," May I ask _why_? Surely I am able to fend for myself in Konoha. It is unlikely for more harm to come to me while healing in my own village. And finding somewhere to stay would not be hard. I...I wouldn't want to impose on the clan. Surely I would be a burden."

Fugaku merely looked at her with his usual hard eyes and grim expression," I won't lie, it will an annoying responsibility having you around. You are after all, not an Uchiha, but a Senju." Before Sakura could react angrily, she noticed how the lines under his eyes softened just the tiniest of bit," But it would be best if you were here. You have a positive side effect upon my family and I at least admit that you have potential unseen in most kunoichi your age. When my youngest son found you in those woods, you became the clan's responsibility and therefore, _my_ responsibility."

"Aa..." Sakura could only let that one tiny sound escape her lips as she thought over what Fugaku had just told her. She affected the main Uchiha family positively? She had unusual potential? The Uchiha's were claiming responsibility for her, therefore becoming her guardians? Sakura had been searching for these very things since she was a small girl. Someone to need her in their life; someone to reassure that she was not weak; a family to come home to...

After sixteen years, it finally took the dead Uchiha patriarch, the stoic and hard ass Fugaku, to say those things to her? Of anyone in the entire world, it was _Uchiha Fugaku_?

"Of course, you must also work for your stay," Fugaku continued, not realizing the full scale of what he's just said," I still expect you to maintain a regular occupation, to help around the house wherever Mikoto deems fit, and perhaps accompany a few Uchiha on their missions. As a medic-nin, you will be beneficiary to the squadron."

Even though his words were monotonous and calculating; even though his tone was clipped and gruff; even though he showed no emotion on his face, Sakura could not help the smile erupting from her face. After sixteen fucking long years, here was someplace she could call a home, if only temporary. She had finally found someplace that needed her, that would acknowledge her usefulness.

If Fugaku was surprised by her happy response to his news, he did not show it. Instead, he stood there stoicly as she bowed lowly, unable to wipe that smile off her face. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Uchiha-sama," she thanked him properly and formally, another thing that he liked about her," This is something I never expected. I won't let you down."

"No, I should suspect you won't," he finished before shooing her out of his office so he could get some work done.

* * *

When Sakura left the main study, she suddenly found herself face to face with twelve year old Uchiha Sasuke. Startled, she froze on the spot and could only stare back at him. On his young face was a stubborn look, one that slightly accusing.

"Ano, hello Sasuke-kun," she greeted nervously. Really now, how was she supposed to act around the younger version of her first love? It was unheard of! What was a girl to do in situations such as this one? And it really didn't help when he was giving her that look like he was right now. Even on such a young face, he had mastered it.

"Why me?" he asked curtly.

Thrown a curveball, Sakura coul only blink at him. "Excuse me?" she questioned, not fully understanding his demand.

Sasuke sighed, as if what he had just said made perfect sense," Why did you faint when you saw me? You were perfectly alright when you discovered that we were Uchiha, but when you laid eyes on me, you suddenly fainted with a look of fear on your face. I want to know why."

Sakura had to give it to him, this kid was good. Even at twelve, he was so observant and spotted something that neither his father nor brother noticed. She smiled, knowing that it would please him to know that he had bested his brother in one thing at least.

"You're very observant, Sasuke-kun. Not even Itachi figured it out," she smiled at him, earning a wary but pleased expression from him. He still didn't trust her, but hearing such praise, even from a stranger, obviously made him happy. She saw his form relax slightly and some of the tension left his body, although his eyes never lost their focus.

"It's not you particularly that surprised me, Sasuke-kun," she sighed, knowing with Sasuke's stubborn nature he wouldn't rest until she gave him his answer," It's just that...I had a teammate, a friend once... He meant a lot to me and we lost him for a few years... The funny thing is...His name is Sasuke too."

Even after all this time, Sakura found that a surprised expression on Sasuke's face was most adorable. Giggling cutely, she continued on her way down the hall, ready for some tea and light conversation with Mikoto.

But Sasuke's voice stopped her," What did my father say to you?"

Looking over her shoulder, she smiled," Apparently, you're my family now."

Not bothering to see yet another surprised look on Sasuke's face, she turned around again to head for the kitchen. With happy thoughts, she hoped Mikoto had some tea already set out and maybe some of her onigiri.

What she never expected was for the younger Uchiha to suddenly be at her side, grasping her arm in his firm grip. "Ehh?! Sasuke-kun?"

"You should meet the rest of the family then, Sakura-nee," he smirked (dear Kami, his smirk will never change!) and continued on dragging her down the hall to wherever the hell he wanted. And not matter what she said or did would deter him.

* * *

Before Sakura knew it, she was facing about five Uchiha clan members, each of which who were staring at her with varying expressions. Some were confused, some wary, and others annoyed. Sasuke stood at her side, with the look of a smug dog that had just brought his master a bone.

"Sasuke-kun, _why the hell am I here_?" she whispered venomously at him, wishing upon wishes to be able to throttle the younger Uchiha. But just her luck, they were surrounded by his clan members who would probably kill her if they had even the slightest thought that she was harmful to their precious Sasuke.

"You should meet the rest of the clan, Sakura-chan," he answered, still smirking brightly at her," If you're going to be with us for a while, I'd rather not have to explain to everyone why we have a non-Uchiha living here day in and day out." Sakura scowled at him distastefully. With his family intact, this Sasuke was much different than the one she grew up knowing; this one was _much_ more annoying and cocky.

"You're a shrewd and evil little kid, do you know that?"

"Sasuke-kun, we would like some answers too," one of the Uchiha woman spoke up in a voice that was used to being obeyed. Judging by the woman's apron and broom in hand, Sakura guessed that she was a mother used to trying to control untameable Uchiha children.

"Aa," Sasuke nodded respectfully at his aunt and unabashedly gave Sakura a little push towards the five Uchiha clan members," Mina-san (everyone), this is Sakura-nee-chan. Father says she is going to take on the Uchiha name for the time being." A few gasped at the sudden news and Sakura blushed in embarrassment, not liking that she was now the center of attention once again.

Others, however, did not seem in the least surprised. Namely the young man with wild black hair in a long ponytail. He just looked at Sakura with mild interest, even cocking his head to the side to see her from a different angle. The younger man at his side openly gaped at Sakura, with something akin to awe in his eyes. Even though Sakura was pretty sure he was checking her out, she had to admit that he was ridiculously good looking. (Proof that attractiveness runs in the Uchiha gene!) His hair hung loose around his face, held back only by his headband. A few bangs fell over his face, which he kept batting at in order to get a better view at her. Just like the rest of the Uchiha, his eyes were a charcoal black.

He only tore his eyes away from Sakura to whisper in the older man's ear, a hint of a smile on his face. Whatever he said, must've pissed the older man off, for the next second a tick mark appeared on the man's forehead and the poor unfortunate boy found himself a foot deep in the ground.

"Neh, what did he do this time, Shisui?" Sasuke frowned at the fallen boy, shaking his head. The older man, now identified as Shisui, frowned as well," You don't want to know." Deciding it best to ignore the hopeless boy, Shisui's dark grey eyes wandered over to Sakura, again with that cool aloofness.

"So you're the mysterious Sakura," he mused," It's about time we met properly. You weren't exactly able to introduce yourself when we met." At Sakura's confused face, he explained," You were still in a coma when I picked you up from the hospital. I am Uchiha Shisui, Sasuke and Itachi's older cousin."

From beside her, Sasuke took over, not wanting to lose his spotlight to the likes of Shisui," This is my aunt and uncle, Yuki-san (Snow) and Yuuki-san (Bravery)."

Sakura's eyes twinkled," Yuki and Yuuki?"

The mother's eyes sparkled as she laughed out loud," It was an unfortunate thing. Of all the Uchiha men to fall in love with, it was the man with the same name as me."

Sakura smiled," At least I'll never have to worry about that. I doubt I'll find a man with the name Sakura."

Both women laughed before launching into an in depth conversation about unisex and mismatched names. Looking on at the two women easily getting along, Shisui and Sasuke were silently praising the bond the two were making. From Sasuke's point of view, he was glad that Sakura was already making allies in the Uchiha clan; perhaps he wouldn't have to worry about the clan rejecting her just because she wasn't Uchiha.

From Shisui's point of view, he approved Sakura's interaction with his strict mother. Usually, his mother was a different matter when it came to unruly children and has developed a certain authority around everyone else. For her to be able to talk so freely so quickly with Sakura was testament to Sakura's natural talent to bring out the best in people. Shisui wasn't sure if his mother had taken a liking to Sakura because of the girl's lively personality, or because of something else.

He glanced away from the two women for a moment to look down at his younger brother. Uchiha Takanami (high waves) was such a ladie's man that sometimes it was embarrassing. The kid had looks and skill, he'll give him that, but sometimes Takanami could be such a pushover. More than once Shisui's had to rescue his baby brother from some bad relationships, where the girl had suddenly decided that she wore the pants in the relationship. And judging from the looks of Sakura, Shisui guessed that she was one hell of a spitfire and unable to control. It would take a _real _Uchiha to keep up with her.

At that thought, Shisui frowned, remembering what his baby brother had whispered to him at first sight of Sakura.

_"Now that she's Uchiha, does that mean she's free-game?"_

Shisui mentally scowled. It was true; as long Fugaku-sama announced Sakura under Uchiha name and protection, it was likely that she was now available to Uchiha bachelors. Normally, Uchiha men chose Uchiha women to marry and mate with, but could also choose someone under the Uchiha name and not Uchiha by blood. Shisui knew in Sakura's situation that after an extended amount of time, she would relinquish the Uchiha name and take up the Senju name again. But if she married an Uchiha before that time, then she would forever remain an Uchiha.

It had taken Takanami less that two seconds to come to this conclusion, so Shisui could only guess that it would take the rest of the clan only a day to realize there was a new bachelorette in the clan. Shisui could easily name five young men who would most definately pursue Sakura; they were getting a little desperate with the shortage of Uchiha women.

But then again, it was Fugaku himself who announced Sakura an Uchiha, so perhaps the clan head had plans for her? Shisui could only wonder.

"Neh, you're so mean nii-san," Takanami's voice drifted up to Shisui's ears," You didn't have to knock me out."

"Hn,"

Now sitting up, Takanami looked over at Sakura and his parents easily talking with each other. Little Sasuke stood off to the side, a small pout on his face. Obviously he was upset that Sakura had been taken from him so easily and he was excluded from their little conversation. Takanami chuckled at the younger Uchiha's misfortune. But then he gazed up at his elder brother.

"You know I'm not gonna be the only one right?"

"Aa," Shisui responded, not seeming to care either way.

Takanami groaned," Great. This means I'm gonna have to go up against Houka and Kaji."

Smirk. "Aa."

**Hope you all liked it. It was about damn time I got this written. **

**Review?**


	5. Ovr the Line Can't Define What I'm After

**"This little piggy wanna go hoooome!" From the awesome movie of Shrek Forever After...**

She was not quite sure what to make of the scene in front of her, but after a second thought, she supposed she would never quite understand...

Yuki had finally dragged the younger girl away from the rest of the men, bent on having a female's company after years of dealing with her husband and two sons. It had been so long since she'd had the chance to indulge in the little things, such as having a girl's day out. Yes, there were other women within the clan, but Yuki found them prudent and boring. Unlike her brethren, she did not live solely for the clan and believed in actually living life. She had married for love despite the elder's arranged marriage; she had raised her sons to be good people who valued life above all else; she sure as hell would live her life as a civilian if she wanted to.

So where else would she take the new addition of the family but to the market, the most civilian place you can get. Normally, this would sound like a normal prospect, right? Unfortunately, Sakura didn't think that was the case, as every person they passed stopped to stare openly at them. Sakura was a bit disturbed by the blatant stares, but Yuki seemed to not notice.

"Why are they staring so much?" she whispered to the older woman, who apparently was dead set on a destination and didn't falter in her steps. Not that Sakura expected any Uchiha woman to. Yuki glanced at her and her lip quirked to one side in a half smile.

"Well, I suppose they're always a little wary of seeing an Uchiha outside of their district," she responded," Did you know that the only time an Uchiha leaves the district is for a mission?" To Sakura's shocked face, she continued," If I'm correct, the only ones who really interact with the village are myself, my sons, and Mikoto's boys."

"But why is the clan so isolated?" Sakura asked, awed by the sheer amount of isolation the Uchiha Clan suffered through. Was it even their choice to do so? Or were they forced to keep their clan so secret because of the Head of the Clan?

Yuki only provided a sly smile and twinkle in her eye," That's something you'll have to learn on your own, Sakura-chan. And that depends if you stay with us for a long, long, _long_ time."

Sakura groaned in frustration, much to Yuki's amusement. But the Uchiha woman had no more to say as she merely continued leading Sakura through the streets of Konoha. No matter how much Sakura complained, Yuki simply wouldn't say a peep more about the secret dealings of the Uchiha clan.

_'I'll just have to discover it for myself then,'_ Sakura thought sourly, hoping that it wouldn't take _years_.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

In the end, Sakura was surprised to find out where exactly Yuki had taken her. The Yamanaka Flower Shop looked exactly the same as it had in Sakura's time. Walking into the familiar shop, Sakura was overcome by the scent of flowers, ranging from daffodils to roses to irisis. She closed her eyes for a moment, relishing in the smell of the flowers. If she just pretended, she could just imagine herself back home, spending time with Ino in her shop while she worked.

"You're a flower person, I can tell," a feminine voice caught her attention. Sakura opened her eyes and came face to face with smiling blue eyes. After a few moments, she realized she was looking straight at Ino's mother. Those tell tale blue eyes were unmistakeable; Ino had her mother's eyes.

Sakura smiled wide at Mrs. Yamanaka before the flower shop owner turned to Uchiha Yuki. "Your order is ready in the back, I'll just go get it for you." And with that, she turned around and bustled towards the back. Sakura and Yuki waited in the front, adoringly inspecting the flowers.

"What are you getting flowers for, Yuki-san?" Sakura questioned, wondering why the elder Uchiha woman had ordered a bouquet of flowers from the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Yuki smiled slyly," It's actually not for me. But it's a secret, so I can't tell you." She only grinned more when Sakura groaned in frustration. She could hardly believe how difficult Yuki could be at times. Never before had Sakura dealt with someone like her.

"Here's your order!" came Mrs. Yamanaka's voice as she returned to the front. In her hands was a bouquet of unknown flowers, as she had covered them. Smiling mysteriously, Yuki payed her the correct amount and left the store, leaving Sakura to wonder. Exchanging glances with Mrs. Yamanaka, Sakura frowned while she followed after Yuki.

But before she was fully out the door, a confident but small voice echoed in her ears," She had pretty pink hair, Mama. Just like Sakura-chan."

"Yeah, you're right, Ino. She's just like Sakura-chan."

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The four of them were at the training grounds. The day was hot and dry, annoyingly so as the wind whipped around them and blew sand in their faces. Sasuke sat leaning against the wooden fence, and pulled up his hoodie to block the sand. For a moment, he wondered why he didn't just go back to the apartment where the wind couldn't reach them. But he knew the answer to that already. He didn't like Yashamaru. He still wasn't sure what it was about that woman, but something about her set him off and kept him on his toes. There was something _false _about that woman.

The three children must've also felt the same thing he felt, for if given the chance, they left the apartment all the time. Now with Sasuke in their life, they followed him around everywhere, calling him nii-san and never leaving him around. At first, it had annoyed him, but now... He mused that he would find it weird if they weren't there. A tiny part of him like being called big brother and that these three children trusted him with their lives.

At the moment, Temari and Kankuro huddled between Sasuke and the corner of the fence, using both as barriers from the stinging sand. Temari nearly hugged Sasuke's side, watching her brothers with a careful eye and hiding her face in his coat everytime a strong wind came up. Kankuro sat by her side, not nearly as affected by the wind, but was constantly spitting out mouthfuls of sand.

As for Gaara, the boy obviously loved the sand and wind. The small redhead sat on Sasuke's other side, making the strands of sand swirl in the wind and make shapes. More than once, Sasuke's seen a miniature dust devil whisk across the ground in front of him before crashing into one of it's twins. Watching such little shows amused Sasuke immensely, as well as Kankuro and Temari.

"Hey Gaara-kun," Temari spoke to her youngest brother, who stopped shaping another mini tornado to look at her," Do you think you could shape the sand to block the wind? That would be awesome."

Gaara took on a thoughtful expression, having never contemplated using the sand as a defense before. A defense against the wind, but still a shape with defensive capabilites none-the-less. Glancing at the fence behind them and seeing how it blocked the wind so effectively, he surmised that a wall of hard sand would work best.

Now with a new mission in mind, he furrowed his none existant eyebrows together and focused on the sand in front of him. Sasuke watched with barely contained amusement as the small boy waved his hand above the sand, trying to raise it up in a straight line. The shifting sands rose perhaps about a foot above the ground in a solid wall before falling down again. Gaara frowned at his failure, wondering why it was so hard to control such a large amount of sand simultaneously.

"I suppose it takes a lot of concentration," Sasuke spoke up, startling Gaara by even offering advice in the first place," It'll take you a lot of practice and meditation to get it right."

Gaara stared at him for a minute with a blank look on his face. But after a bit of thinking, he went back to staring at the sand, focusing intensely on it. After a few seconds, Sasuke saw a wall about five feet long rise a foot into the air and held for a good minute before falling down again. A minute later, it did the same thing but held for a minute longer.

"Hey nii-san," Temari spoke up, tearing his attention away from Gaara. "How did you know that it takes a lot of concentration to control sand?" she asked, truly interested in how he knew within only a few minutes.

Sasuke smirked; did she not know anything about ninja techniques? "It's needed for any jutsu in the world," he explained," Whether it's ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu, everything requires complete focus and concentration."

"But if you're concentrating on your jutsu, what if you miss what you're opponent is doing?" Well damn, the girl learns fast.

"That's what the practice is for. Once you've mastered the jutsu hundreds of times, you can do it without thinking. You train your body to become accostomed to the jutsu so it can adjust your chakra automatically. Your jutsus should be like second nature to you; as easy as breathing."

Temari thought about what he said for a moment, contemplating what it meant.

"Where did you learn all that, nii-san?" she asked.

"My sensei," was the simply answer he gave.

"Who was your sensei? Where's he from?"

Sasuke frowned at her, wondering why she was so interrogative today," His name was Kakashi. And he's from Konoha."

"Are you from Konoha too?"

"No."

"Then where are you from?"

Sasuke growled slightly," Sound."

"Where's that?"

Seriously, what is with all these questions? "Somewhere you've never heard of. It's a very recent village."

"Why did you leave?"

"Didn't like it."

"Why not?"

He shot her a glare, making her zip up. Finally in silence, he enjoyed it while he could and leaned his head back against the fence. But just as he closed his eyes, Kankuro spoke up.

"Hey nii-san, can I ask you a question?"

"What?" he snapped, barely able to contain his annoyance. But unfortunately, Kankuro wasn't as intuitive nor perceptive as his sister; he never noticed that Sasuke was at his limit.

"Did you ever have a girlfriend?"

If Sasuke wasn't already sitting down, he probably would've fallen over, he was that shocked by Kankuro's random question. He would never admit it, but when Kankuro had asked him that, Sakura's face had popped into his mind, looking very feminine and ...tempting as she spoke his name with the familiar -kun.

A slight blush rose on his cheeks.

"Hah! He's blushing!" Temari shrieked, jumping up and pointing at him dramatically. Damn her and her perceptiveness. Sasuke glared at her and wished the wind would just blow her away from him.

"I'm not blushing. And I've never had a girlfriend," he snapped at her. At almost the same time, his wish was granted as a forceful wind swept by them. It bombarded her with sand, but instead of blowing her away, it forced her to sit at his side again.

"You're lying," she frowned at him warningly, determined to never let this go.

"Who was it? Who was it?" Kankuro mischevious eyes lit up as he demanded answers out of Sasuke.

"No one." The kids, Gaara included, instantly gave him a look that clearly said,' We can tell you're lying through your teeth.'

"She wasn't a girlfriend, just a teammate," he finally surrendered.

"Was she cute?" Kankuro asked, grinning.

"Did you _like_ like her?" Temari questioned.

"Have you ever kissed her?" Kankuro's grin was becoming more and more sinister.

"Did you ever have to fight another boy for her? Cuz two boys fighting over a girl is sooo romantic!" Temari was a die hard romantic...

Sasuke glared at both of them. Like hell he was going to answer any of their questions.

"What was her name?" Gaara spoke up in his quiet voice. Even though he nearly whispered it, it still caught Temari and Kankuro's attention and their questions fell silent. Sasuke looked at Gaara, who just looked back at him with a questioning face. He didn't demand answers; he just expected them. But then again, when could Sasuke ever refuse his new little brother?

"Sakura," he finally admitted, feeling something in his chest rise," Her name is Sakura."

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Later that day, the four of them stood in the Kazekage's office. Actually, only Sasuke was summoned, but where Sasuke went, so did the children. Even to the place they hated most. When asked by Sasuke once, Temari admitted that they felt safe and happy when around him, which is why they trusted him to keep them safe even in their father's office.

The four Subaku siblings faced the Kazekage, who had Yashamaru at his side.

"Wait wait wait," Temari spoke up after hearing the news," You want to make nii-san a Suna shinobi?" They weren't exactly her father's words, but the gist was what was important. In the past five minutes, Sasuke and the Kazekage have been talking. Or more like it, the Kazekage had been drilling Sasuke with question after question, to which Sasuke always had a witty response. Ever since they had entered the office, Sasuke had been wary, seeing both the Kazekage and Yashamaru in the same room. It annoyed Sasuke immensely whenever the Kazekage would glance at his youngest son, Gaara, and tense up slightly. It was as he was expecting the small child to attack him suddenly.

It both annoyed and worried Sasuke how much the Kazekage feared his own son. Nothing good could come out of it. In instinct, Sasuke had nudged Gaara to stand slightly behind him, trying to block him from the Kazekage's view. Temari had somehow known exactly what Sasuke was trying to do and took up Gaara's other side, blocking most of his body with her own.

Maybe he was being overprotective, but Sasuke believed in his intuition.

"If nii-san was a Suna shinobi, that would be so _awesome_!" unfortunately, Kankuro was blissfully unaware of the thick tension in the room.

The Kazekage's eyes turned away from his youngest son and his self-appointed guardian in favor of his middle child," Hai. Despite my reasoning, the council has ordered Sasuke-kun to join the shinobi ranks. He had been hear long enough to earn his place in Suna and they wish to make him a citizen." His eyes turned back to Sasuke, who gritted his teeth and looked him back in the eye," What rank do you think would suit you best, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke frowned, he always hated it when the man used the suffix -kun with his name. That was something reserved only for his friends.

"Perhaps a Chuunin?" the Kazekage suggested and Sasuke's blood boiled.

"I'm a Jounin," he said, barely able to conceal his anger under a blank face," But I'm at ANBU level."

"Hmm," the man mused and beside him, Yashamaru smirked slightly," Then you'll be a Suna Jounin. Your missions start tomorrow, so I expect you here bright and early."

With a miniscule bow, Sasuke turned on his heels and marched out of the office, ushering the children to leave before him. When the three kids were out of the door and he stood in the doorway, Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at the two of them.

"Disrespect and needless fear do not suit a Kage," he spat out and disappeared down the hallway.

Back in the office, the Kazekage was not insulted nor angry. Instead, he seemed to ponder Sasuke's words. Beside him, Yashamaru smirked," The kids got balls, I'll give him that. I wonder if he was just as rude to his last shishou."

Yashamaru huffed," It worries me. He's getting much to close to them, especially Gaara. Did you see how protective he is of him?" Yashamaru nodded without a word. "It could get dangerous for us if we dont' do something," he added quietly. Yashamaru nodded again.

"I'll see what I can do," she replied, then walked out.


	6. Love is All Around You

He stared long and hard at the map staring back at him. The thing covered the entire wall in front of him, but that didn't bother him. He liked the thought of seeing the world as it was. With every county and city shown, he could see the world like he was a giant looming over the continent, peering at it with intent eyes. But no matter how hard he stared, the answer he sought for never revealed itself.

Small red X's spotted various places on the map, covering many of the major cities. During his many missions for Suna, Sasuke found (made) time to ask around, investigating where he could, hoping to find someone who had seen a pink haired kunoichi. For his reasoning, he figured since he was randomly dumped in Suna at the end of this little…adventure, he expected Sakura to have ended up in some remote place in a far away country. (He only hoped it wasn't as far away as the Land of Snow. Kami, the trip there would be hell. And there was hardly anybody there.) Yet at the same time, another thought came to him.

She had been fatally injured when this whole mess occurred. (He internally shuddered when he thought back on how _he_ was the one to fatally injure her.) He had been lucky himself to have been found by Gaara so quickly. But if Sakura had been dumped miles away from civilization, with no one to help her heal, there was no way for her to possibly survive. For all he knew, she could be…

He choked on the thought, but his dark, twisted mind finished the sentence anyway. Dead… His teammate, Naruto's best friend, their Cherry, could be dead right now…

"Nii-san?" Temari shyly poked her head inside the door of Sasuke's room. She frowned, seeing the usual impassive man standing in front of the wall he spent so much time on. After a mission, he would always lock himself in his room, just staring at this map, as if he was looking for something. But he would never tell them what he was searching for; it was a secret he defended so fiercely and she worried about him. And today, she worried even more. Instead of staring at the map like he always did, he held his head low, not even looking at the map. The red marker was still uncapped in his hand.

"Nii-san?" she repeated, taking a small step into the room," Are you okay? Yashamaru-san told us you came back from your mission today. Kankuro and Gaara wanted to know if you'd take us training, but I can come back later if you want." With that said, she slowly took a step backwards, ready to leave him to his thoughts.

"Ie, don't leave, Temari," Sasuke's cold voice stopped her in her tracks. Wide eyes, she stared up at him with blue eyes. Jet black eyes glanced back at her, apathetic and impassive like the first time he came to Suna. They flickered back to the map and then he snapped the cap back on the marker. Gesturing Temari to come closer, he turned around and sat on the edge of his bed.

She scampered over to him and sat beside him. She remained silent, waiting for him to speak more. And sure enough, he sighed deeply and began.

"I think I'm losing my mind, Temari," he sighed. Temari frowned.

"You seem completely sane to me, nii-san."

He chuckled," Well I'm glad one of us thinks I'm sane. But that's not what I meant. Every day, I look at that map, hoping I'll find what I'm looking for. Some inkling from my life before; hell, I'll take an epiphany. But what if it's all for nothing? What if the thing I'm looking for isn't even anywhere? How can I find something that doesn't exist anymore?"

Temari did not and could not understand what he was talking about, but she did know one thing. Her nii-san was slowly tearing himself apart, contradicting himself and giving himself hope, only to take it away. "You can't give up," she answered him," Because if you give up, then you'll never know if it's still there or not. And won't that be worse than it being gone?"

Sasuke sighed," I guess you're right. I would rather die than admit defeat and give up."

Temari grinned; now here was the Sasuke she knew and love. Now to just get his mind away from this dark subject. "So…" she grinned impishly," About training…?"

He chuckled in response, amused by her vain attempts, even if they worked," You sneaky, child. One day, you'll be the kind of kunoichi who will convince men to bend over backwards for you. Fine, I'll go train with you three."

"YOU WILL? THAT'S AWESOME!" Kankuro's loud voice blurted out as he seemed to appear seemingly out of nowhere. _'Why can't this kid apply his ability to appear at random to his shinobi training?'_ Sasuke thought, annoyed.

"Kankuro…" he frowned deeply at the young child," Why are you in my room?"

"Temari's in your room. Why can't I be?" Kankuro countered, a legit argument, except for one flaw. Whereas Temari was sitting quietly on Sasuke's bed, Kankuro was wandering around, picking up and touching everything he saw. Sasuke glared at him as he went for his stash of kunai and weapons.

"Because Temari doesn't touch my stuff," he growled and picked up his younger sibling by the scruff of his neck. Calmly, while Kankuro kicked and whined, Sasuke walked over to the door and deposited him onto the hallway floor. Then he proceeded to lead Temari out along with her brother," I'll be ready in about a half hour. Practice your aim until then." And then he shut the door.

They both pouted, but only Kankuro voiced his protests. Sasuke frowned and rubbed the bridge between his nose while trying to drown out the boy's voice," Open the door!"… "Lemme, uh, I mean _us_ back in!"…" I'm hungry! What's for dinner?" God, this kid was just too much like Naruto for his own good.

Sasuke's dark orbs landed back onto the wall map. He was starting to have his doubts; thinking that perhaps Sakura wasn't even in this time. Maybe she had survived their battle and found her way to safety. What if she was alright, wondering why he spared her life, sitting patiently for him to come back to-

His eyes widened, a characteristic uncommon for an Uchiha. _**Konoha**_. His eyes pinpointed the rather large Fire Country, or more specifically, Konohagakure. He mentally scolded himself and kicked himself. Any smart shinobi who finds themselves in a strange situation would immediately head straight for their home village. Sakura was well known for her brilliant mind. No doubt she would search out Konoha as soon as she was able to walk again.

And the Uchiha Clan was there…

Sasuke's eyes turned red when the mere thought of his clan came to mind. That's _right_. He was in the past now. If Gaara was a kid now, that meant that so was he. The Uchiha Clan might still be _alive_. He could have the chance to see them again. His mother…his father…his cousins…_Itachi_…

THUD!

His fist collided harshly with the wall at the thought of his brother. Not only could Sasuke get the chance to see his beloved mother again, he could _save _her.

The decision was final…Tomorrow, he would head for Konoha. Whether the Kazekage or Yashamaru liked it or not.

…

"Ah…Ah…ACHOO!"

Sakura frowned at the young man sitting across from the table. Itachi stared off into space for a moment, a bit off center from that particularly powerful sneeze.

"Someone's thinking about you, Itachi-chan," Mikoto sang, waving her finger at her eldest son. He just frowned at her, but said nothing.

Sakura grinned at the unfortunate boy as well," Maybe it was a fangirl." He glared openly at her.

Mikoto grinned at the rosette," Are you sure _you_ weren't thinking about Itachi-chan, Sakura-chan?" The Uchiha matriarch grinned in barely concealed joy as the two of them turned bright red.

"I'm going to my room," Itachi frowned and stood abruptly from the table. Both Mikoto and Sasuke snickered under their breath, knowing that he couldn't handle the teasing. But just before he reached the door, it swung wide open and a black blur rushed in. Itachi blinked and turned around, only to see his cousin glomping a shocked Sakura.

"Sakura-chan, my love!" Uchiha Kaji declared loudly, complete with little pink hearts in his eyes, as he rubbed his cheek against Sakura's. Sasuke twitched on the floor from where Kaji had pushed his out of the way on his mission to get to Sakura. Mikoto frowned at the overzealous Uchiha boy glomping her favorite new Uchiha girl.

"I heard from my darling mother that we had a new beautiful girl in the clan," Kaji continued, spewing love and hearts from his very soul," Of course, you are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. You are radiant, dear Sakura-chan!"

Shocked and confused, Sakura could only stare at this new…thing glomping her. Though his personality rivaled Rock Lee's, she had to take a double take when she saw him. If it weren't for the buckets of emotions flowing from his face, he would be an exact replica of Sai. But once the shock of familiarity wore off, she wondered why this stranger (obviously an Uchiha) was declaring his love for her.

When Kaji's grip tightened around her waist and she felt the breath escaping her, she reached desperately for Sasuke. "Help me… Sasuke," she gasped, reaching for him. He gladly jumped to her rescue, leaping up to pry her from his cousin's arms. He watched in morbid fascination as Kaji fell to the floor in a flomp. (Sakura noticed how neither Mikoto nor Fugaku got up to help their nephew from the floor.)

"We don't need you scaring her off, Kaji," Sasuke scolded his older cousin.

"How very true, dear Sasuke-chan," another voice entered the fray and Sakura soon found herself plucked out of the young Sasuke's arms. Sasuke protested, but a sandaled foot pushed him back to the ground.

"My darling Sakura-chan," the newcomer, a very handsome man by the looks of it, smiled sweetly at her and Sakura felt her knees turn to goo," You don't want to be in the company of my ridiculous and immature cousin, do you? An ANBU medic-nin such as yourself shouldn't be seen in the presence of a lowly Chuunin. Though he is an Uchiha, he has the mentality of an Inuzuka."

"Hey! I heard that, teme!" Kaji protested from the floor, him and Sasuke sitting crosslegged side by side.

"Kaji! Language!" Mikoto shot him a warning look and Kaji humbly apologized.

"Come, Sakura-chan," the newcomer started to lead her towards Itachi and the open door," How about I treat you to lunch? A picnic at the lake sounds wonderful, does it not?"

Sakura did not know how to react. Who the hell was this man? And why was he and his cousin suddenly all over her, declaring love? Was Itachi playing a mean trick on her and put her in a genjutsu? There's no way this handsome man with his spiky black hair and onyx eyes and adorable glasses could be hitting on her. Right?

"Kai!" she formed the handsign, but to her luck, nothing changed. The man in front of her just smirked. She glanced at Itachi, who was staring at the two of them in barely concealed confusion," Release whatever genjutsu you have over me, you teme. What kind of mean trick is this?"

"I assure you, Sakura-san," Itachi just shook his head," Chikara and Kaji are very much real." Great. This was just great…

"Oh Chikara-kun, I'm afraid that Sakura-chan already had prior plans," Mikoto came to the rescue and literally pried Chikara from Sakura. With strength not seen since her ninja days, she threw him towards his unruly cousin on the floor. (Sasuke moved at the last second so as to not be hit.)

"You see," Mikoto grinned mischeviously and pushed Sakura towards her eldest son," Itachi-kun was going to take Sakura-chan out for a walk and then eat lunch down by the lake."

Chikara opened his mouth to protest, but Mikoto cut him off by pulling two bento boxes seemingly out of nowhere. Before either Itachi or Sakura could argue, she shoved them into their arms and hissed at them to scram. Itachi opened his mouth to admit that he never had the idea to take Sakura out to lunch, but said pink haired medic-nin stomped on his foot.

"Don't argue and just _run_," she hissed at him and clasped a hand around his wrist. Using her superior strength, she dragged him from the kitchen, leaving with only one last word," Sasuke!"

"Coming!" the youngest Uchiha shot up and with a smirk at his unfortunate cousins, sped after his older brother and his new lunch-date.

In the kitchen, both Chikara and Kaji sat crosslegged on the floor, contemplating this new situation. He put his hand to his chin and assumed a thinking position," I knew my cousins would also attempt to woo Sakura-chan, but Itachi-san as well? Shisui and Sasuke are of no worry, as well as Kaji, the fool-"

"I heard that!" Kaji growled at him," Stop being so mean to me. We're _family_, for Kami's sake!"

"-I will have to keep an eye out for Houka and Takanami, depending on what type of man she prefers, the macho man or the lady killer," Chikara continued while the Head Uchiha couple just rolled their eyes and continued reading their newspaper," A medic-nin such as herself should appreciate the brilliance of a fellow medic-nin, for we are far more intellectually superior than combative shinobi. But what about Itachi? He's a wrench thrown into the gears…"

With calculating eyes, Chikara turned to face his upset cousin," Do you think Sakura-chan will fall for Itachi's dark and mysterious demeanor like many innocent girls before her?"

Kaji scowled," Over my dead body."

"If anything happens to my son or my new daughter, there will be hell to pay," Mikoto warned calmly and sipped her tea. Their eyes widened, understanding the underlying threat offered by the Uchiha Matriarch. Perhaps it was a good time to admit defeat and continue with a hasty retreat.

"Well, I hope you enjoy your day, Mikoto-sama. Fugaku-sama," Chikara quickly bowed to the two of them and fled from the kitchen.

"H-Hey! Don't leave me here by myself!" Kaji flew after him, frightened for his life.

Fugakue smirked at his wife," You knew this would happen when you demanded that I make her a Uchiha, didn't you?"

Mikoto just smiled innocently.

Her husband sighed and went back to his tea," I'm not worried about Itachi, he can take care of himself and there's nothing that our nephews can throw at him that he won't be able to counter. You _want_ our son to marry her, don't you?"

Again, Mikoto just smiled and kissed her husband on the cheek.

"Just please, don't let those idiots destroy my compound in their war of love."


	7. Searching For a Place of My Own

"This mission is of utmost importance, so I expect no objections," the Kazekage ordered calmly, his dark eyes never leaving the stoic young man standing in his office. Sasuke stared right back, a silent challenge to see who would look away first. Besides Sasuke, Baki read over the mission scroll with a frown. After reading the entire thing twice, he angled it a bit so that Sasuke could glance at it as well. Sasuke did so gladly, but soon frowned deeply.

Sitting at his desk with his sister-in-law standing behind him, the Kazekage scowled at the two men. Team captains normally did not openly show their subordinates the mission scroll so quickly after reading it themselves. To pass the scroll over to Sasuke so quickly showed that Baki considered the outsider an equal and did not hold authority over the boy. It surely threw a wrench into the Kazekage's carefully marked plans.

Looking at the mission scroll, Sasuke knew something was up and he had to be careful from here on out. The mission was a simple retrieval mission: Kirigakure shinobi had stolen a relic from a temple and the temple's priest was paying greatly for its return. There was no danger of death or any threat to Suna itself, so the mission could've been assigned to any Chuunin team. But here they were, a Jounin team mostly known for assassinations, assigned a retrieval mission? Sasuke had no doubt that the Kazekage had ulterior motives.

"I don't have time to go on a stupid B-ranked mission," he growled underneath his breath so that only Baki heard. With a hard face, the older Jounin fixed an eye on him.

"It's a simple mission, one that we can finish by tonight if we work hard," he ordered quietly, careful to not let the other occupants of the room hear their small conversation," So suck it up and deal, boy. Whatever you have planned can wait for tomorrow."

Sasuke said nothing, but glanced back at the Kazekage. He could always go to Konoha tomorrow, that he was not worried about. The trip took three days at the least, by any chance. No, the Kazekage wanted him out of the village for the night. To this day, it still angered the devious man that Sasuke wasn't fully under his control and was, to say, a wild card in the deck. He had something up his sleeve and he didn't want Sasuke messing it up, so he decided to send him on a useless mission.

"Hai, Kazekage-sama," Baki bowed to their leader and Sasuke reluctantly followed suit," We will assemble the team and leave right away." The Kazekage waved them off with his hand and the two Jounin's poofed out of the office.

…**.**

"Why do you want us to not leave the house tonight?" Temari demanded, standing in the doorway as Sasuke packed his weapons pouch. Gaara sat on the bed next to his mission pack, silently watching his older brother with curious eyes. (Kankuro was effectively tied up on the floor at Temari's feet after trying to steal Sasuke's katana.)

"There's something going on and I don't like it," Sasuke answered her, shutting his weapons pouch close and then strapping it to this thigh. He fixed a hard eye on Temari," Your father is sending me out of the village because he wants me out of the way. I'll be back tonight, but I want you three to be careful."

"Gaara," he glanced at the little red-head who straightened up at the mention of his name," Keep your brother and sister safe. Don't let any harm come to them or yourself, no matter what you have to do. Do you understand me?" Gaara stared up at him with wide eyes. What Sasuke had implied was to use the power of the demon inside him if necessary. To order him to do such a thing said that Sasuke was worried, and didn't want to take any chances. Silently, the jinchuuriki nodded, too stunned to speak.

Content with his response, Sasuke turned back to Temari and knelt down to her level," If I'm not back by nightfall, the three of you lock yourselves in my room. It's trapped and no one will be able to enter without your approval. _Do not_ leave this room until I arrive, got it? Don't let anybody in, no matter what."

Temari's eyes widened," Not even for Yashamaru-san?"

Sasuke frowned," Especially for Yashamaru, and especially your father." It was hard to throw this all onto the kids, but there was no choice. Gaara was most likely his target and Sasuke would be damned before he handed the kid over. It was cruel to tell these children just how evil their father was and what ruthless things he was capable of, but their safety was Sasuke's first priority.

"Be safe until I get back," he ruffled Kankuro's hair one last time before leaving.

…

The moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the sand in an eery way. Baki and Sasuke stood back to back, eyes sweeping the scene in front of them, wary of an attack from any side. Their teammate's bodies laid in various humps around them, what was left of Team Baki were just piles of flesh and blood now. The two co-captains of the squad stood back to back, kunai's drawn and alert. Nine shinobi surrounded them, each smirking or grinning evilly. Suna headbands adorned each of their foreheads.

"You bastards would dare turn against your own comrades?" Baki spat at one of them, recognizing him as a teammate from a mission a couple months ago. The man just smirked back at him, unaffected by Baki's harsh words. Sasuke remained silent.

"You two are getting awfully chummy with that monster kid," the apparent captain of the betraying team spoke up," Especially _you_, kid." He glared darkly at Sasuke, who returned it with a blank stare. Keeping his anger in check was _much_ more difficult with Konoha-nin, not these pompous brats. Yes, that is what Sasuke thought of them at the moment. These were the best of Suna's Jounin? They were pathetic in Sasuke's eyes and he missed the old days where Jounin and even ANBU sometimes posed a threat to him.

Oh well, one gets exceptionally strong as a missing-nin eventually.

"We have orders from the Kazekage himself to take you two out," the captain continued, not noticing Sasuke's smirk when he saw one of the traitor's guard go down," It's two against nine, you have no chance. And by tomorrow, we won't have to worry about that monster bothering our village ever again."

Baki had to physically clamp down on Sasuke's wrist to stop him from erupting in a fit of fury. "Keep your head on your shoulders, boy," he ordered quietly," If we survive this, then you can go back to being the overprotective big brother."

Sasuke growled at him, then openly glared at the surrounding Suna-nin. He did _not_ have time to fool around here. These fools had to be taken out immediately and he needed to go back to Suna _now._

Dropping his kunai, Sasuke slowly and methodically pulled out his katana, Kusanagi. A few Jounin jumped at the threatening sound of metal and Sasuke smirked. Weaklings.

"Baki, can you keep a secret?" he asked, and Baki gave him a confused glance out of the corner of his eye.

"…If I were to ever tell you one of the secrets I carry, I'd have to kill you."

"Good," Sasuke smirked and his eyes bled into deadly maroon.

…

The streets were silent and that bothered him. Blood stained his vest and the metallic scent of it rose up to greet his nose. He shrugged it off, the scent was not unfamiliar to him and over the years, it followed him wherever he went. It was not the blood that covered him that had him so bothered. It was the stillness of the air, the foreboding hanging over his head, the feeling that he was too late.

As he ran, something crunched underneath his foot. Pausing in the middle of the street, he looked down and saw a stepped-on brown paper bag. Swiftly, he bent over and dumped its contents out onto the sand. A jar of medicine rolled out. He quickly recognized it as Yashamaru's homemade medicinal cream. Teeth grinded together and he set off at a run,_ 'Damn you, Yashamaru!' _That woman was part of this, and it couldn't be for innocent reasons. He had already checked the house and found that none of the kids were there. All three of them were out there somewhere, lured out by the cunning of Yashamaru, and he had to find them soon. Their lives could be at stake.

**...**

"Gaara! Gaara-kun!" Temari cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the darkness. But the streets were quiet and no answer came back to her. She waited for one more moment, disappointed that she couldn't find any sign of her youngest brother. She had _promised_ Sasuke that she would keep her brothers safe in the house.

"Gaara! Come back! We have to go home!" she shouted one last time, hoping that maybe he heard her this time. Beside her, Kankuro yawned, but looked for his little brother none-the-less.

"Something doesn't feel right, Temari-chan," he whined," I've got a bad feeling about this. We should go back to the house."

Temari rounded on him with a glare," Of _course_ something's wrong! That's why we have to find Gaara-kun. Yashamaru sent him to that boy's house with medicine _hours_ ago, he should be back by now! We can't go back without Gaara."

Kankuro just frowned at her," Gaara has Shukaku, you know nothing can hurt him. His sand will always protect him. So let's head back and wait for him or nii-san."

"That sounds like a good idea," a foreign voice spoke up and both children froze stiff," What are you two doing out here all alone?"

Temari was the first to recognize the voice and sighed in audible relief," Baki-sensei, I'm so glad it's you." Turning around, she saw her sensei with his hands on his hips... but then she saw the blood.

"Sensei! Are you hurt?"

Baki sighed and knelt down to her level. "I'm fine," he reassured her," Nothing that I can't handle. But you shouldn't be out here. Your father is planning something and I have to make sure you are safe. Where's Gaara?"

Both children averted their eyes, letting him know that they had no idea. "Why were you outside, anyways?"

"Err, Gaara hurt a kid earlier today and he wanted to apologize. So Yashamaru-san gave him some medicine to bring to him. But that was _hours_ ago and he never came back. So we left to go find him," Temari explained, waving her arms around as if to prove her point. Baki merely frowned at her, making her arms fall back down to her sides.

"It's too dangerous for you out here," he said and stood up," Come on, let's head back home, shall we?"

**...**

The smell of blood hung thick in the air, but he ignored that. Even though it smelled fresh and warm, even though he could see the trickle of it coming from the corner of her mouth. Had it not been for the blood, she would've looked like she was just resting, leaning against the wall. But he knew better. That blood meant she had been crushed. Her heart was no longer beating; he could no longer hear it's steady beat. Yashamaru was dead.

Sniff... Sniff...

Sasuke slowly looked up from Yashamaru's body. There huddled a small figure, though his sand was still partially protecting him. His soft sobs could be heard as he cried for the closest thing to a mother he ever had.

"Gaara," Sasuke spoke up and hell broke loose. Faster than he could blink, a small whip of sand shot out at him, narrowly grazing his left cheek. Even when he felt it cut his cheek and the pain soon followed, even when he felt the blood run down his cheek, Sasuke didn't flinch. Not an ounce of fear showed in his face as he faced the child's back. Yes, Gaara now knew he was there, but refused to turn around.

Sasuke sighed," Gaara. Can you not face me?" Gaara said nothing as the sand formed an even bigger sheild around him. Sasuke glanced back at Yashamaru, then back at the sobbing boy.

"She tried to kill you, didn't she?" he spoke and again, the sand cut another line deep in his cheek, though on the opposite side. But Sasuke still continued on," She betrayed you, and I bet it hurts like hell. To have someone to know and trust so much to betray you. It makes you feel like they never loved you in the first place; makes you think they were faking it from the very beginning."

"... How can you know how I feel?"

A small smirk appeared on his face. Finally, he was getting somewhere with him. "Someone betrayed me too, a long time ago. So I know exactly how you feel, Gaara."

There was another moment of silence as Gaara contemplated his words. Eventually, Sasuke was relieved to see the sand fall back to the ground and Gaara turned to face him. A tear stained face looked out at him from a hollow shell and Sasuke felt a pang in his chest.

"She said I was a monster," Gaara sobbed," A monster that killed her sister. I'm the reason why my mother is dead." The tears began to fall again as Gaara couldn't hold them in anymore. They fell down his cheeks in waves, rolling down like fat raindrops. "I don't want to be monster!" he wailed," I never wanted to hurt anyone! Why couldn't I be normal? Why did I have to be this monster?"

Sasuke stared at him with unreadable eyes, for he really couldn't grant Gaara's wish like he so wanted to. There was nothing he could do. But Sasuke was a stubborn man, and he never liked being told there was something he couldn't do. So instead, he stood his ground and faced the child with a determined resolve.

"You are no such thing," he spoke valiantly, the words coming out strong and supported. In his eyes, a child sat crying. A child lost and looking for love. How anyone could ever see a beast, a _monster_, Sasuke could not fathom.

"You are _not_ the Shukaku," Sasuke continued," Though he may be sealed inside you, you are not him. No matter what people say or what you do, you are just Gaara... Subaku no Gaara."

Gaara sniffled. Taking a slight sigh, Sasuke's eyes softened," You don't have to suffer anymore, Gaara. You don't have to let this demon control your life and destroy your happiness. Others have managed to be happy, so you can to."

"What would _you_ know?" Gaara startled him by whirling around and fixing him with a glare," You don't have a demon sealed inside you. You never had to suffer with people hating you. You never had to endure people calling you monster and saying you were better off dead."

Sasuke frowned at the young boy. No, he never experienced things like that. And it would've hurt. Probably even made him hate them back. But nevertheless, he's seen them happen. He's seen the hatred in people's eyes as they looked at his ex-teammate. Yet... look where he was now. Naruto couldn't have had better friends.

"I know because I had a good friend," he told Gaara," My best friend was a Jinchuuriki, just like you. And yet, people love him and they are his friends. Not because they fear him, but because of who he is. They love him for _him_."

Wide aqua eyes stared up at him and Sasuke felt it safe enough to take a few steps forward. Wordlessly, Gaara raised his arms slightly and Sasuke never hesitated. He took his adopted brother into his arms and held him tight, much like Itachi used to when he was little. Gaara began sobbing again and buried his face into Sasuke's chest. The youngest Uchiha just stayed still, not quite sure how to comfort him, but knew this was the best he could possibly do.

The sand hovered around them , uncertain and wary. Yet never once did it attack. A loose shield formed around them and Sasuke knew that even the sand had accepted him. Sasuke could never harm Gaara and he was trusted to be this close.

"Come on, Gaara," Sasuke spoke," Let's go."

Gaara lifted his tear-stained face," To where?"

"To find home."

...

**Alright you maggots! REVIEW! Honestly, only 6 reviews for this entire story? Bad readers! Bad bad bad bad bad bad!**


	8. Here Comes the Next Contestant

**Okay! I will settle this once and for all! Let's take a show of hands, shall we? Who here has read/watched the English version of Naruto? Who here has read/watched the Japanese version? In the English script, Yashamaru was gender bendered; Yashamaru became male! However, in the Japanese version, Yashamaru is FEMALE and is Gaara's aunt. In fact, in the Japanese version, Yashamaru was Gaara's mother's _twin_. They even show a picture of her twin sister, who looks exactly like her. So there! Yashamaru will be (was) female in my story. But she is dead, and that doesn't matter anymore.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: In no way or part do I own these awesome characters... I am merely borrowing them for the moment.**

Itachi stood in the kitchen, thoroughly enjoying a cup of tea before he left to train with his team. The house was quiet as normal, and he liked that. The only sounds were that of the birds outside and his mother scraping away at the wok, cooking their breakfast. His father sat at the table, forever reading the newspaper and drinking his strong black coffee. Both men ignored each other to the best meaning of the word.

The only two not present were Sasuke and Sakura. Itachi mentally sighed, knowing his little brother was most likely still sleeping. If he was not up and about in the next minute, Itachi knew he would not be able to help himself and go get his brother. As for Sakura's absense, Itachi had no idea. The woman was always up at the brink of dawn, blessed with so much energy so early in the morning. It was a miracle that Itachi had woken up before her this morning. True, he had been up by 4 am to fill out some reports from his latest mission, but still, when Sakura didn't so much as flinch when he left his futon this morning he was a little bit concerned. Had running away from his cousins yesterday tired her out that much?

Two minutes passed and still neither of them showed up. "Itachi," Fugaku spoke and for the first time that morning, Itachi looked at his father," Go retrieve your brother and Sakura. It's shameful that they would sleep in so late." Without a word, Itachi set down his cup and left the kitchen. Though as he walked out of the door, he could've sworn he heard his mother giggling.

Pushing his mother's giggling to back of his head, Itachi made his way down the hallway towards Sasuke's room. He figured it wise to wake his brother first, seeing he took longer to get ready in the morning that Sakura. Yet when Itachi approached his brother's door and knocked, he was met with silence. Itachi frowned; Sasuke was never a light sleeper and always woke before anyone even reached his door. Without knocking a second time, Itachi unashamedly threw open the door, only to be met with an empty room.

Sasuke was not there.

Worry and concern began seeping into his bones as he tried to remember if Sasuke had to be somewhere early this morning. Except for the Academy, nothing came into mind, and that worried Itachi. If Sasuke was not here, and was not in the kitchen, nor the bathroom for Itachi passed it on his way here and the door was wide open, then where _was_ his little brother? Worst case scenarios began playing in Itachi's head and he thought some of them highly probable, considering Sasuke's knack of getting into trouble.

Sharingan blazing brightly, Itachi swiveled on his foot in a complete circle, looking everywhere in his range for his little brother's chakra signature. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when he found his beloved little brother still within the house, and apparently just fine, if one could go by the guffaw of male laughter echoing down the hall. But why was Sasuke inside Itachi's room, with Sakura?

Curiosity getting the better of him, Itachi walked forward, retracing the familiar steps to what used to be his own room. (Now that Sakura was staying with them, she had made a point to repeatedly call the room 'their' room, no longer 'his'.) As he neared, Sasuke's laughter rang out once again, followed by Sakura's cry of dismay. Itachi narrowed his eyes. Just what was going on in there?

**...**

12 year old Sasuke had a very hard time keeping a straight face at the sight before him. Not only was the 'problem' at hand most likely caused by his very own mother, but the expression on Sakura's face was absolutely priceless. So many emotions ran across her face, leaving his slightly dizzy at trying to interpret them all. The first had been calm when he had first entered the room at Sakura's request. She had been strangely calm, and that was Sasuke's first clue that something was off.

"Dear Sasuke-kun," she cooed and Sasuke gulped, this couldn't be good," You were the one to help Mikoto-san get me a new wardrobe, correct?" His head tilted to the side like a puppy's, trying to remember what she was talking about. Oh right, yesterday, he and his mother had set out to the Uchiha seamstress to see what they could get for Sakura. The poor girl only had the torn outfit he had found her in along with whatever clothes she 'borrowed' ('stole' is what Sasuke thought) from Itachi. So Mikoto had taken it upon herself to get a new wardrobe for the medic-nin. But for the life of him, Sasuke couldn't figure out why Sakura would be upset. He thought she would like the new black pants and red shinobi vest with white undershirt. It had been simple, her original colors, and not obnoxious Uchiha navy blue like Mikoto had wanted. Sasuke was thrown a curve ball when Sakura's face became slightly evil, as if promising a very unpleasant death if he didn't answer her.

But when he nodded in agreement with her accusation, and her face got so angry that it turned bright red, Sakura held up her new shirt and Sasuke couldn't hold in his bouts of laughter. On the back of the shirt, as well as on all of the rest of her clothes, there was a very large, very noticable, and very telling Uchiha Fan.

"It's not funny!" she screamed at him and threw it at his face. Grinning like a fool, he caught it and held it up so the fan was showing for all the world to see. "So this is the secret my mother was keeping," he mused and thoroughly enjoyed watching Sakura's embarrassed face. "Oh don't be that way. You know you like it."

"I do not!" she shrieked and snatched the offending object from his hands," I know I'm supposed to be one of you now, but isn't this taking it _too_ far? Only true Uchiha's wear the Fan, and I'm not a true Uchiha."

"Not yet," Sasuke muttered under his breath. Luckily Sakura did not hear him and continued on with her rant," What will people think if I wear this? I'm sure the rest of your family is already wary of me because I'm a...a Senju, but to wear your clan symbol? They'll _hate_ me! Oh _why_ would your mother do this to me?"

Sasuke successfully ignored the torrets of tears flowing from Sakura's eyes and had the audacity to grin widely," I'm sure they won't hate you. Mother probably did it because she already thinks of you as her daughter. And Father probably just wants everyone to know who's protection you are under and there won't be any doubt. Besides..." Sakura didn't particularly like that smirk on his face; it reminded her all too much of her own Sasuke.

"If there weren't any Uchiha men who didn't know you are an eligible bachelorette, they'll be coming after you in waves once they see the clan symbol on you." He hooted in laughter at the thought.

"Aaghh!" Sakura cried out somewhere between disgust and dismay.

"How _dare_ you say such a thing, you evil evil _evil_ reincarnation of Satan?" she wailed," I don't want to have an Uchiha fan club! Uchiha's are the _worst_ because you're all so stupidly stubborn and won't take no for an answer. It's already enough trouble with the two of you, and you're too young while Itachi's probably gay!"

"Now Sakura-san, it is most rude to accuse your host of such derogatory orientations," a cool and somber voice spoke up, scaring the living daylights out of Sasuke who had his back to the door. Itachi shot an ice cold glance at Sakura," And I assure you, I am most heterosexual."

Sakura was not about to be deterred and glared icily right back," Oh yeah? Then tell me Itachi, why don't you have any female companions."

"Hn," Itachi was giving her the best impression of her Sasuke's sneer (not that he knew it, of course) and icily replied," I have no need for the female population who don't have anything but air in their heads. I have a female teammate and she is annoying enough as it is."

"Riiiight," she raised an eyebrow at his very Uchiha Sasuke-like behavior, but said nothing of it. Instead, she thought rather triumphantly,_' Well now I know where Sasuke-kun gets his attitude. He's practically a mini-me of Itachi!'_

"Mei's not _nearly_ as annoying as our stupid fan clubs," Sasuke piped up, defending whoever was Itach's female teammate. Sakura had no idea as to who they were talking about, so she just stood back and watched their conversation.

Itachi sighed," You don't have to be around her all the time, Sasuke. Yes, she isn't quite as... _feminine_ as the other village girls, but she is... possessive."

Sasuke made a face," Is she the reason why no girl will come within ten feet of you?"

The elder brother nodded," More than once, Shisui and I have had to pull her off some poor civilian girl."

The younger brother's face paled," Even attacking civilians? She's more scary than I thought. I never would've expected it from the way she acts when she comes to visit."

"Do you really expect her to be a violent and ill tempered kunoichi while in the presence of our parents? She's always wanting to make a good impression on them, you know that."

Sasuke hung his head in shame, having never figured out that Mei's attitude had been a farce. Itachi just smirked at his brother and ruffled his hair, saying it was alright and that Mei was a master actress.

"Speaking of my teammates," Itachi now rose his head and looked at Sakura, who was still holding the Uchiha Fan emblazened shirt," After breakfast, we are to escort you to the hospital."

Sasuke's eyes became impossibly wide," The hospital? Why does nee-chan need to go to the hospital? I thought she was all healed, okaa-san even said so."

Both Itachi and Sakura chuckled at Sasuke's distress and Itachi poked his forehead," She _is_ perfectly healed, foolish little brother. She's not going to get treated, she's going to get tested and get her doctorate. The Elders won't let her become an Uchiha medic without registration from the Head of the hospital."

"Oh," Sasuke was visibly relieved after hearing that," Well why does she need to get tested? Nee-chan is already-" He cut himself off, seeing that the both of them were suddenly gone. "Hey!" Knowing they had gone to the kitchen and leaving him behind, he rushed off to find them.

Funny enough, upon nearing the kitchen, he grinned to hear his mother cooing over Sakura and 'how delightful she looked wearing the Uchiha Fan.'

**...**

After breakfast, Shisui (who was more than happy at seeing Sakura wearing the Uchiha Fan) appeared at the front door, ready to pick up Itachi and rescue 'the lovely young lady from Itach's cold-hearted presence'. Needless to say, Itachi very much enjoyed catching his older cousin in a headlock and putting him under a genjutsu that only lasted two seconds before Shisui figured his way out of it. Though Itach's revenge was short-lived, he was very smug with himself for the rest of the day, having actually caught his older cousin in a genjutsu. Shisui huffed at the younger man and stalked off, dragging Sakura behind him. Sasuke wished to come with them, but was forced to instead head towards the Academy.

As they parted ways, Sasuke yelled after them," Don't let Mei-chan attack nee-chan, Itachi!' To which Shisui promptly fell to the ground, clutching his sides in laughter, Itachi smirked, and Sakura screeched at the boy with something along the lines of 'the day someone attacks her without getting their ass kicked is the day she gives Jiraiya the key to the female bathhouse'.

Furious with the amused boys who thought a mere village kunoichi could stand a chance against her, Sakura swiveled on her heel and walked out of the compound.

"Hey, wait up," Shisui ran after her while Itachi took a much slower pace," You don't know where it was." Both Itachi and Sakura raised an eyebrow at him.

_'Really? I don't know where the place I've worked at for the past three years is?'_ she thought sarcastically in her head. Itachi just knew that she was originally a Konoha-nin, and no matter how long she's been gone, the layout of the village has never changed.

"Ehh? Why you looking at me like that?" Shisui blinked before it finally clicked in his brain and he chuckled, embarrassed," Oh. Right. You used to live here, so of course you know where the hospital is... Hehe." Sakura just rolled her eyes at the impossibly childish Uchiha and continued walking.

No sooner had she walked ten feet out of the compound, did a presence suddenly appear in front of her. Using a technique designed by Hinata, Sakura promptly swiveled on the ball of her foot and spun around the blockade before continuing walking.

_'So this must be Mei_,' she thought, glancing back out of the corner of her eye to see a furious blue haired woman in ANBU gear. Sakura almost started at the sight of blue hair, even if it was spiked and unruly; it reminded her so much of Konan. She wondered if the two woman were somehow distantly related? Mei looked young to be in ANBU, so if she was related to either Konan or Pein, then she would certainly share some of that power.

Shaking those thoughts aside for later, Sakura heard Shisui hoot laughingly and say to Mei," You're losing your scary touch, Mei-chan. Sakura-san didn't even flinch."

Mei's cobolt blue eyes gazed at Sakura's form almost lazily, until she caught sight of the Uchiha Fan worn proudly on the newcomer's back. Shisui and Itachi watched in amusement, almost seeing the gears working in Mei's blue head. It was painfully obvious that Sakura was not a true Uchiha, for what Uchiha had pink hair and green eyes? No, it simply went against all rules of logic and reason for an Uchiha to have anything other than black hair and dark eyes. So they could only imagine what Mei was thinking to see a non-Uchiha wearing the clan symbol, in the presence of the clan heir no less.

They didn't have to wonder long, for before Shisui nor Itachi could react, Mei lunged for Sakura's throat.

"MeiMei!" Shisui yelled in shock, horrified that his own teammate would attack Sakura in cold blood only seconds having seen her. They haven't even _met_ yet, for Kami's sake! Both he and Itachi tensed up, more than ready to break up the fight and pull Mei away from Sakura before she could do much damage, but Sakura stopped them both cold in their tracks.

"Let her be," Sakura just said nonchalantly and let Mei approach her. The two Uchihas were forced to stand back and watch, but both still alert to step in if need be. Mei took less than two seconds to approach Sakura, killing intent showing clear in her aura. Sakura watched with a calm eye as the blue haired woman raised her arm and her hand formed into a tight fist. It was a simple fist, not powered by chakra, and Sakura contemplated letting the foolish girl hit her just to show that such a light punch couldn't really affect the Fifth Hokage's apprentice.

But Sakura had pride and would be damned before this chick landed a hit on her, Itachi's teammate or not. Sakura's done no wrong to her and she deserved no ill will from this total stranger. So in true Tsunade fashion, Sakura intended to give this girl a 'lesson in manners she won't forget anytime soon.'

The split second before Mei's fist collided with her face, Sakura tilted her head to the side, just a little, and let it pass. Even as she felt the wind from the almost hit rush across her cheek, she moved forward, and with her right arm, buried her own fist in the girl's gut. Mei screamed out in both shock and pain, clearly not expecting her opponent to fight back, much less get the better of her. Before Mei could recover from the agonizingly strong blow to the stomach, Sakura's other hand came down on the back of her neck.

Sakura now had a strong grip on the back of the Mei's neck and to anyone who knew the Slug Princess, this was _not_ a good place to be. "I would stay still if I were you," Sakura warned the girl, who was gasping still from the blow from before," Should I decide so, I could break your neck or send you into a permanent coma." Mei paid no attention to the warning and began struggling, cussing out a storm. She didn't get very far, her strength only miniscule compared to Sakura's inherited unnatural power. The pink-haired woman sighed in annoyance; didn't this ANBU have any sense of self-preservation? She was at this stranger's mercy and instead of rationally thinking of a way to escape, she was only pissing her off more?

Deciding that Itachi and Shisui's teammate needed another warning before she got herself hurt, Sakura pulled a kunai out of her pouch. She heard Shisui's gasp and out of the corner of her eye she saw him rush towards her, thinking she meant to seriously harm his teammate. Itachi stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a few reassuring words that Sakura wasn't cruel, even if it could not wipe Shisui's face free of worry.

Sakura increased the pressure on Mei's neck slightly, only enough to get her attention. "Watch," she stated, brandishing the sharp kunai in front of the blue haired woman's face. MeiMei froze instantly, suddenly fearing that kunai and whatever Sakura had planned for it. Right before Mei's eyes, Sakura channeled chakra to her hand, protecting her skin as she held it by the blade. Then with her superhuman strength, she crushed it. Pure steel kunai...turned nothing more than a deformed clump of metal.

Mei's eyes widened in horror, finally realizing the danger she was in at this stranger's hands. In that one simple act, Sakura had shown her two of her deadliest skilled. First, she had perfect chakra control, enough to protect her very skin from a blade, something only of legends. Legends like Tsunade. Second, like the Slug Princess, she had unnatural strength, enough to crush metal and create fissures.

This mysterious pink-haired woman bearing the Uchiha crest was another version of the infamous Tsunade. Super strength, perfect chakra control, red-hot temper, and everything.

"I see you have met my newest relative, Mei," Itachi strode up to the two of the, nonchalant as ever, even with the nervous Shisui beside him. With a nod from Itachi, Sakura released his teammate and stepped back from her, instead choosing to stand beside Shisui. Now free, Mei rushed to stand at Itachi's side, obviously thinking he would protect her from the dangerous newcomer. Itachi ignored how she grasped onto his elbow, as well as Sakura and Shisui's insane giggles.

"MeiMei," Shisui faced his only female teammate, grinning now that he knew she was in no immediate danger," This is Uchiha Sakura. Itachi tells me she's been training with the Sannin Tsunade and has just returned to Konoha."

"In a strange, death-defying kind of way," he added, smirking in rememberance of that day Sasuke found her dying in the woods. Sakura just shrugged in response.

Mei's cobolt eyes wandered over to Sakura's form, her grip tightening ever so slightly on Itachi. "Uchiha... Sakura..." she repeated, as if the name was utterly foreign to her.

MeiMei knew for sure that this was no true Uchiha, for her features were much too bright. Yet she had the Uchiha name? Such was not possible, unless...

"So who in the Uchiha clan were you married off to?"

This time, it was Shisui's turn to hold Sakura back from mauling MeiMei. Frightened by the animalistic roars coming from the pink-haired Uchiha, Mei hid herself behind Itachi, clutching onto his shirt for support. Itachi sighed in annoyance, frustration, and a multitude of similar emotions. His teammate really could be too much sometimes.

"She is not married, Mei," he explained, before Sakura broke free from Shisui and killed Mei for real this time. Mei's blue eyes looked up at him in childish confusion," But... she's not _really_ an Uchiha... is she? I mean, just _look_ at her!"

"And what the hell is wrong with how I look?" Sakura screeched," I swear, if you say _one_ thing about my forehead, I'll Skykick you to Hell!" Both Itachi and Shisui gave her strange looks, each pondering her last statement. Shisui tilted his head to the side, wondering why she would take offense if her forehead was mentioned? It seemed perfectly alright to him, although now that he thought about it, it _did_ seem a little large... But it seemed to fit her.

Itachi was personally wondering what a Skykick was. Perhaps it was a signature move of hers...

"I believe she meant your bright pink hair," Shisui reassured her, wrapping a muscular arm around her tiny shoulders while he was at it," After all, Uchiha's are well known for their black hair." This mollified her a little bit, as she sighed deeply and relaxed her shoulders. She had to admit, it made sense. She should not have reacted so harshly, but it came natural to her. She had spent so much of her childhood suffering because of her looks, that now when she had a backbone to her, she refused to let anyone think less of her for it.

Satisfied that Mei was merely talking about her hair and not her forehead, Sakura forced herself to calm down and took deep breaths to relax her aura. Instead, she just merely listened and watched with interest as Itachi explained Sakura's situation to his female teammate. Mei apparently was not happy about it, for she knew the Uchiha clan and its traditions since she had been Itachi and Shisui's teammate for years. She knew that as soon as a young Uchiha bachelorette was open, Uchiha men would pounce on her and do everything in their power to obtain her as their own. It was just so rare for an Uchiha woman to become available (most were forced into arranged marriages and therefore could not be wooed into another's arms) that when it happened, the ever aggressive and competitive Uchiha men would fight for her. It was just the clan way. Either that, or choose a village kunoichi who could prove herself worthy in their eyes.

And now there was a new, young, and even though Mei hated to admit it, pretty woman amidst the Uchiha clan, albeit through unconventional ways. Surely there were already Uchiha men fawning for her attention. Could her precious Itachi-kun be one of them?

Mei's face fell deathly pale at the thought. Of course, Itachi had just turned 16 and no doubt his father would soon start demanding he at least get into a serious relationship and eventually choose the woman who would become the next Uchiha Matriarch. Thus leading the young heir to search for his significant other.

For the longest time, Mei had known there were no eligible Uchiha bachelorettes and always held a secret hope that Fugaku-sama would find _her_ worthy. She was a young and accomplished ANBU at the age of 16, she had always been beside Itachi and Shisui, and she knew the Uchiha clan's customs and protocols. It was only logical that she stood a chance to be Itachi's future bride... Until now, where Itachi had the choice of a prime Uchiha bachelorette.

Mei stood no chance.

**...**


	9. Remember all the Sadness and Frustration

**A much anticipated new chapter to 'To Change the World, First Change Yourself'. As I sit here under the stars wrapped up in a blanket and writing this, I have realized that the new 'kick everyone's ass' Sakura is quickly becoming my new hero. =)**

It was the first time that Sakura could ever remember being so at peace in Itachi's presence. She peeked another glance over at him; yup, he was still comfortably laid out on the roof of his own house, arms behind his head and one leg crossed over the other as he gazed up at the stars. For once, there were no frown lines or blank stares on his face. Instead, he seemed oddly content, staring up at the heavens as if he was in heaven itself and could remain here the rest of his life.

To make sure she wasn't just dreaming Sakura bit the inside of her lip. Hard.

"Ouch," she groaned when all it did was make her cheek go numb and she could taste a small hint of blood in her mouth. Itachi just smirked knowingly, never saying anything nor looking away from those stars, while Shisui and Sasuke looked at her in concern.

"Are you okay, nee-chan?" Sasuke asked, eyes darting back and forth over her face, determining there was nothing physically wrong with his favorite sister. Sakura waved a hand at him, too flushed bright red to reply without trusting her voice not to squeak. Shisui chuckled at her tomato-like expression before laying back down on Itachi's other side. She received one more questioning look from Sasuke before he too laid back down.

All four of them were perched comfortably on the roof of the main Uchiha house, surprisingly after following Itachi in the dead of the night. At two in the morning, it had shocked Sakura to wake up, only to find Itachi missing. However, she had a feeling she knew where he was going when out of the corner of her eye there was a dark shadow disappearing out of their window. She had given him about five minutes before scrambling out of bed herself. Eagerly, she leaned out of the window, looking up at the roof. Deciding to see if he really was up there and not gallivanting around the village like Shisui was prone to do, she leaped out of the window in pursuit.

Unknowingly, in the next room over, her slight sounds had awoken one very light sleeper of the household.

Sakura paid no attention to the rest of the world as her bare feet touched down on the cold surface of the roof. Sure enough, there was Itachi, sitting on a blanket while in the process of unrolling another one. Dark onyx eyes flashed up to meet with confused emerald ones.

"Itachi?" Even to herself, Sakura thought her voice sounded oddly quiet and demure in the still night air. They both stared at each other, both silent and watchful, wondering what the other would do. Sakura bit the inside of her cheek, trying to keep the confusion off of her face and blurting out her question as to what he was doing, while Itachi just had that blank stare on his face. If she were to ask what he was doing, obviously she would be a fool. He was on the roof with a blanket; obviously he came up here to watch the stars.

Maybe he would prefer to be left alone…

Just when Sakura began her retreat back into the house, Itachi horribly surprised her by gesturing her to come forward. Her first thought was to ignore his action, pretend that she didn't even see it, and continue her mission until safely back within the house. But another part of her begged her to stop. Nothing in Itachi's posture or gestures suggested that he was angry, nor even the tiniest bit annoyed. His face was carefully blank as he regarded her with a cool expression.

Giving in, she turned her face towards him once more, where he surprised her even further. Having finished unrolling the second blanket, Itachi had swung it over his legs to keep them warm… and was patting the space next to him, motioning her to come sit by him.

Sakura was pretty sure her jaw had dropped to the floor, but was too shocked to do anything about it. Again, her first instinct was to flee and scream at the top of her lungs,' Who the hell _are_ you? You're not Itachi!" but only Itachi could pull off that impatient look, waiting for her to obey and come forwards.

Having no other choice, or so she told herself, she stalked forward and plopped herself right next to him, determinedly not looking at his face. She knew he was smirking just as well as she knew Tsunade loved to gamble.

"Do you come out here often, Itachi?" she asked, trying to break the awkward silence. Unfortunately, Itachi did not share her dislike of complete silence, and merely nodded in response.

She sighed, frustrated by his lack of communicating; and there was his goddamn smirk again. It looks like it would be up to her to fill the silence. Laying back and getting comfortable, and stealing a little bit of Itachi's blanket while she was at it, she started speaking," When I was younger, I would look out my window to gaze at the stars. At first, I was just a little kid, amazed at how bright they could be some nights and then barely visible the next."

He remained silent throughout her dialogue. As he lied there, staring up at the stars, he would occasionally peak a glance over at her and see a nostalgic look on her face. "But when I became a shinobi and how I saw life changed, what the stars meant to me changed as well," she admitted and her nostalgic expression changed just the tiniest bit, falling down into a more somber demeanor," I would sit for hours at my window, looking at the stars and hoping that my teammates were looking up at the same stars. It made me feel close to them and let me know that they were okay, wherever they were."

She did not look at Itachi to see what his reaction to her story would be, which is why she never saw the frown upon his lips. Regarding her story, and the saddened, nostalgic way she told it, something uneasy settled in his stomach. The more he repeated her words over and over in his head, the more it would not go away. Finally, unable to face his doubt of the situation, he thought it best to just ask her.

"When you first told me how you came to gain Tsunade-sama as your teacher, you said your team had gone out and found their own shishous (masters)…" he spoke slowly and softly, as if for the first time in his life, unsure of what right words to say. He paused for a moment, going over his next sentence in his head before speaking it aloud," You never went out to find Tsunade, did you? Your team never separated… your other teammates…they…" He quieted, for some reason not finishing his thought.

Sakura sighed softly; she already knew all of this, and it no longer bothered her as much as it once did. She's had years to practice shoving it all down and covering her pain with a smile and the occasional well placed fist. To have Itachi, the Uchiha heir, and –god forbid, he's even the root cause of all of it- unable to say it aloud, only brought pity to her and she wanted none of it.

"You can say it, Itachi," she sighed," It's not like no one's ever said it before. Yes, my teammates abandoned me and the only one who would take me in was Tsunade-shishou. This is nothing new."

Itachi's face was solemn and it was a long time before he asked his next question," What would've happened if Tsunade-sama never accepted you as her student?"

"I was only a Genin when it happened and had no way of knowing how to make myself stronger. With no team and only capable of completing D-rank missions on my own, I probably would've quit the shinobi life and lived my life as a civilian. Most likely would've married a merchant like my mother always wanted."

It was very hard for Itachi to not pull a disgusted face. Even though he had always dreamed of a simple life as a civilian, he could never fathom the idea of having to marry just to sustain a life. It was hard enough knowing that one day he too would be forced into an arranged marriage. And to think of Sakura, radiant and insanely strong Sakura, being forced to live such a life, unhappy with her career and marriage… the mere suggestion of it just screamed 'WRONG!' in his mind.

"Why would they do such a thing?" a quiet voice spoke up and both Sakura and Itachi turned their head to see young Sasuke standing at the edge of the roof, a small frown on his face. Smiling sweetly at him, Sakura motioned him over, where he promptly sat at Sakura's side. "If they knew what would happen if they left, then why would they do it?" he demanded while forcing his way under the blanket and therefore forcing Sakura to scoot over closer to Itachi. Ignoring her close proximity to the Uchiha heir, Sakura forced a fake smile on her face and tried to pretend it didn't bother her anymore.

"They each had something more important to take care of first," she told him," We only stayed as a team long enough for them to become strong enough to go out on their own. Some things are more important than teams, Sasuke-kun, and our team never really was worth saving."

"What could be more important than one's team? I thought that was supposed to mean everything to a shinobi. Your team is who you're supposed to trust the most, because you have to trust your life to them."

She nearly cried; if only Sasuke could hear the words coming out of his own mouth. "It's not that simple, Sasuke-kun. Tell me, which would you choose if the entire world depended on you getting stronger, strong enough to defeat an undefeatable missing-nin that the world has only recently heard of? What if the only way for you to be strong enough was if you had to find another sensei who could teach you in the ways of the sage-nin? Would you still choose your little broken Genin team, or go out so you could someday save the world?"

Sasuke bit his lip," Well… That's not an easy question, Nee-chan."

She chuckled slightly and resisted the urge to ruffle his hair," And it wasn't an easy decision. He had to leave everything behind, even the people he loved the most, because even though he was only twelve, he knew that if he didn't do this, he would never be able to protect them. After all, the only way to stop a bad guy is if you're stronger than them."

Behind Sakura, Itachi felt his breath hitch, hearing words so similar to the ones he once spoke to Sasuke. Words that he knew could've very well one day to Sasuke becoming the most powerful shinobi in the world, if only it meant becoming stronger than his prodigy brother.

Sasuke too felt the familiarity of the words, but simply could not express just how much they affected him, just like how he didn't know how to express himself as a child.

"Or what if you had your own personal mission?" she continued on, never once suspecting a thing," What if someone you loved very much betrayed you in the worst way possible? Wouldn't you do anything to make them pay? Stop at nothing to get revenge?"

The only reason Sakura didn't see the shocked expression on Itachi face was because she had turned her gaze up to the stars, once again with a pained nostalgic expression on her face," My teammates left because of two very opposite reasons. One was ruled by his hatred and anger, determined to have his revenge. The other loved us with all his heart. He gave an eternal promise to protect the ones he loved and was willing to do anything to make us happy."

"That must've been one hell of a rollercoaster to be on the same team as them," another voice entered the fray and all heads turned to see Shisui suddenly lying on his back by Itachi's side. Itachi remained passive while Sakura and Sasuke exclaimed out in surprise at seeing him there.

"When did _you_ show up?" Sasuke gasped, eyes bugged out in both confusion and surprise. Shisui merely chuckled and gave a nonchalant wave of his hand.

"Oh, I'd say about ten minutes or so. I lose track of time, so it's hard to tell."

"But how did you get here without me noticing?" Sakura demanded.

"He flickered," Itachi answered for him, having been the first to sense his presence when Shisui neared and seeing him appear next to him the instant he flickered.

"Hehe, I can never surprise you, can I, Itachi?" Shisui giggled, shoving Itachi's arm in all playfulness. In retaliation, Itachi gave Shisui a quick shove with his foot till the elder Uchiha was about five feet away… in all _playfulness_.

"Hey!" Shisui complained loudly and merely flickered back to his spot next to Itachi, who raised an eyebrow at the unnecessary display of jutsu.

Next to Sasuke, Sakura giggled at the two's interaction," You two act like such children whenever you're together."

Itachi grimaced," I am no such thing. Shisui is the complete child, not me."

"And damn proud of it! 3"

"Shut up, Shisui. No one cares what you're proud of."

"Why would you say such hateful things, Sasuke-chan, _why_? Don't you love your dear cousin at all? "

"Don't call me 'Sasuke-chan'!"

"You will always be my little Sasuke-chan! 3"

"Aargh!"

…

Mikoto smiled to herself, hearing the ridiculous banter going on above her head. Honestly, did neither of her sons remember that she always goes to bed with the window open? She could hear them plain as day. But nonetheless, just listening to them made her smile.

Itachi…Sasuke…Shisui…Sakura…the four of them together were quite a combination. A quadrant that drew to each other like magnets, as one could tell from their unplanned rendezvous on top of the Uchiha roof. Tonight was one of the rare moments where each could have a moment of peace and just be themselves and enjoy the time they had.

Itachi was always so uptight and worried; it drained him day in and day out; he _needed_ a time to just relax and enjoy the company of people who cared about him.

Sasuke may still be considered a child by many, but as an Uchiha and an Academy student about to become a Genin, he had to grow up fast. To his clan, he was still a child and often felt left out; to the outside world, he was much too mature and distant to ever really have friends. Sure, Shisui still called him kid names and teased him, but Shisui took him very seriously when the time called for it. And then he always had his beloved older brother to be his idol and now a sister to teach him how to be more than just an Uchiha.

Poor Shisui, to be burdened with so much responsibility being the Uchiha Council's youngest member. Sometimes, he had even more on his plate than even Itachi, but still, every day he faced the world with a smile and made the best of every day.

And then there was Sakura…

She was the catalyst Mikoto had been looking for all these years. The one thing to set things in motion once again and change what could never be changed. Fugaku didn't lie when he told her that she brought out the best in the Uchiha's. She gave them _hope_; gave _Mikoto_ hope; the kind that couldn't be tarnished or destroyed by anything less than the apocalypse. Sasuke and Itachi may not realize it yet, but Sakura would change both of their lives forever. For the better, Mikoto could only hope, which she had plenty of.


	10. 911

**This post is not an author's note, nor a random chapter to throw in to keep everyone satisfied til the next chapter (which I promise will be soon), but this is just a quiet remembrance for what happened 10 years ago today. I'm not going to write a fic to honor the day or the families because I simply don't dare try. There are too many stories of familes torn apart; of people who fought against all odds and saved countless lives and sacrified their own; of children who didn't grow up knowing a parent; of people who have lived ten years without their other halves; of people who stand watching the pain and suffering of others, wishing they could do more.**

**I don't know what this day means to everybody else, but to many, I know it may mean everything. It may mean the anniversary of nearly 3,000 dead; the beloved people who died in the World Trade Centers; the 40 brave passengers who overtook the hijackers and crashed the plane into a field before it could reach its destination; and the lost lives at the Pentagon. Ten years later and families are still suffering. There are families with no mothers, no fathers, no brothers, no sisters, no chance to fill that hole that was left behind. Ten years later and we're still building up from ground zero. **

**Not too long ago, America reached a sense of closure at the death of Osama bin Laden. It wasn't about achieving a sense of vengeance, but about reaching closure at the thought that the one responsible was brought to justice. It was about knowing that the man who caused 9-11 can no longer cause such things, that there may be a turning point in the current war, and perhaps the 3,000 lost can rest in peace.**

**Hell, I even read an article of Obama visiting the three memorials for that tragic day and one such person thanked him for 'getting bin Laden.' I remember the day the news broke out on his death, and in front of the White House, a crowd of people stood all night, singing their relief at closure, grief for their lost ones, love for the ones they have left, and their pride in our country. **

**Ten years ago, America came together in a time of sorrow and grief and despair. Ten years later, we simply come together in a time of remembrance and honor.**


	11. We Had Fire in Our Eyes

'_I'll bring Sasuke-teme back for sure and we'll be Team Seven again! It's a promise of a lifetime!' _

Words echoed over the air like memories from a thousand years ago, like something that once had life, had soul, but now could only be words remembered by few and written in books never to be read again. It felt like forever that those words had been spoken-no, not spoken… They had been shouted for the world to hear, shouted with every once of hope he had and every bit of soul he possessed, words meant to one day come true, or so Kami help him. But now they were nothing more than whispers.

He felt his entire world crashing down around him, everything slowly crumbling to bits and pieces, tumbling down like walls in ruins. And he stood in the center of it all, watching everything fall to pieces and wishing he could do something about it, but could only watch in silence, feeling his heart break in time with the chaos.

"There really is no word for it, is there?" Aburame Shino was the first to speak, standing beside the boy (no, not a boy anymore. A man) that he hardly knew but always considered his friend. As everyone looked on with shocked and horrified faces, some with anger, some with anguish, some with confusion, all felt a great and terrible loss upon this day. He bowed his head in reverence and silence and respect.

Naruto's blue eyes strayed away from the sight to glance at Shino," No… I-I don't know if any word can… I want to scream, I want to make someone pay, I want to save them, I want to do _so_ many things, Shino. But… What _can _I do? There is nothing left. Everything I ever loved is…" He broke off, unable to even finish the sentence. The shock was still there, still blocking off his throat, mind still numb.

Who would have thought that it was only in death that these two could find the love that had always been denied them? For so many years it had been one giant chase of cat and mouse, running away from love, love chasing after. And he would never know whether love finally caught up, or the fear finally slowed down and waited.

As Naruto stood staring with eyes that would burn the image into his memory for the rest of eternity, as he saw the two bodies of the people he loved most in the world, he felt himself die with them. They had been perfectly preserved in the cold snow of winter, only revealed by the winds blowing the snow away.

There must've been a great battle, with weapons and blood and chunks of nature underneath all of the snow, but all that showed was the serene picture of death and tragedy and regret and love. For the first time he could remember, there was a smile, a _real_ smile, on Sasuke's face, eyes finally closed in peace. Arms in tattered clothing, pierced through with shuriken and kunai, wrapped tightly around the precious treasure tucked against his body. Sakura's head was tucked underneath his chin, her face pressed into his bloody chest. Naruto couldn't see her face, but he guessed she must've died with a smile on her face as well.

Their legs were covered by snow, but from what they could see it was easy to surmise that their bodies were pressed together from head to toe. Sasuke's much larger body covered hers completely, shielding her from the world and perhaps he meant to shield her from death itself.

"We should bring them back to Konoha, back home," Naruto said quietly, the only thing registering in his mind was the thought that they should finally rest in peace at _home_. At the village they grew up in and would always call _home_.

But as Shino placed a hand on his shoulder and solemnly shook his head, it felt like a long ago dream. "We must burn their bodies here," he said quietly, gently," This is where they fell, this is where they must rest for eternity."

"B-But…" Naruto frowned, biting back the tears that would soon come; he was beginning to come out of the shock," Konoha is their _home_."

Hinata then stepped up and wrapped her arms around his wider shoulders, feeling his pain as well, but could only fathom on how much it was destroying him inside. She nuzzled her face into his chest and let the tears out and spoke in hopes that he would _understand_," If we bring them back to Konoha, you know they'll tear them apart. They'll take Sasuke's Sharingan; they'll study Sakura's chakra control; they'll burn them separately and put only Sakura's name on the K.I.A. stone."

"They wanted to die _together_, Naruto," she cried," Let them be together forever. I-I don't think I can separate them now."

Everyone could only watch on in silence as the words rang in Naruto's ears, the silence only broken by the quiet sobs from Hinata and Ino. Naruto's shoulder's shook minutely, the tears falling freely from his eyes, unable to contain them anymore.

"H-Hinata-chan…" he said so quietly, it was almost a whisper," Should we… should the headstone have their names? Or be unmarked?"

It was such a random question and so hardly appropriate and so _Naruto_ that Hinata and Ino and Shino and Chouji could not stop themselves from breaking into new tears. Tiny smiles played on their faces in the relief to find that, even though the world could stop spinning for one day, some things could never change. Naruto could never change.

And so with great sorrow and anguish, they built a pyre fit for a king and queen and sent Sasuke and Sakura into the next world with it. The twenty foot flames burned well into the night, shining like a beacon and reaching up into the heavens. The fire was seen for miles around and attracted the attention of more people than they could've imagined. Shinobi on various missions passing through the silent woods would stop and see the light shining far into the distance and could not stop themselves from trailing towards it. They all emerged from the dark trees, Chuunin and Jounin and ANBU alike drawn towards the fire like lost souls looking for a sanctuary.

They all recognized the pyre for what it was, but none asked who died. They could feel the sorrow, the pain, the sadness in the air, and they knew from the Konoha headbands on the shinobi who built the pyre, that the entire village would mourn the loss of someone very much loved.

Naruto sat as close to the fire as he dared, arms wrapped tightly around Hinata, determined to never lose her like he lost his family. She curled up in his arms, tears still flowing like the saddest waterfall, crying herself to sleep. Ino had long cried herself to sleep, rocked gently and soothed by Chouji. Shino stood by himself, but only nodded in acknowledgement when an Iwa-nin appeared at his side and laid a hand on his shoulder.

A quartet of female Kiri chuunin's surrounded Naruto and Hinata, locking arms around each other, heads resting on shoulders and crying silently as they watched the flames. There was a squadron of Grass-nin who fed the fire as the night passed by, finding the sweet smelling grass that when burned, filled the air with such a sweet scent. A lone trio of Kumo ANBU stood halfway in the shadows of the trees, halfway in the light of the fire, for once not saying anything about being near a team of Konoha.

Kakashi watched all of this with a dead eye, somehow feeling the life seep back into his body, slowly but surely. Just like Naruto, something in him had died alongside with his students, never to live again, never to smile again, never to be happy again. But as the night progressed, it both shocked and humbled him to see all of these shinobi from so many lands to come together for mourn for something they didn't even know of. At this moment, they weren't from different villages, they weren't even shinobi. They were just lost souls, dead to the world and living life just to live, fighting just to survive. Tonight was their chance to realize… they're still alive. They still have each other, because in times such as these, it was all they had left.

An Iwa ANBU broke away from his resting spot near Shino and the other Iwa Jounin's and made his way over towards Kakashi.

"Do you know what will soon be happening, Hatake-san?" he asked quietly, revealing that he full well knew who they were. Kakashi's eye stopped gazing over the heads of all the shinobi assembled here to look the Iwa ANBU in the eye.

"Enlighten me, ANBU-san," he merely replied.

The ANBU sighed," War is coming, Hatake-san, you especially should know that. Now, Akatsuki will continue on with their original plan, to take down all the Five Great Villages, and who is to stand in their way?"

"Right now, my team and I are on our way to the Land of Iron, to join the Shinobi Alliance," he continued," We are the first to scout out of the passage to the Land of Iron; many more teams are following behind us."

"I know of the Shinobi Alliance," Kakashi replied, unperturbed by this news," What does this mean to me? How is this meant to make me happy?"

The ANBU was quiet for the longest time, contemplating Kakashi's words. Finally, he gestured towards Naruto, Hinata, Ino, Chouji, and Shino," I know they mourn someone they loved very much. Perhaps more than one person? Someone they would live and die for."

He gestured specifically at Naruto," I see the katana sitting at his side. I see how he dies inside, as if the people he loves most are dead and gone. And I know that this is the truth. Inside those flames are the Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke, are they not?"

Kakashi tensed for a second, more than ready to prepare to fight should the ANBU suddenly become hostile at the fact that he was mourning the death of the person who started this war. But the ANBU quickly put his fears to rest by doing the one thing no one ever expected.

He reached a hand up and deftly untied the ribbons holding his mask up and gently pulled it away form his face. Short brown hair and the deepest brown eyes Kakashi had ever seen came into view and Kakashi heard a few gasps coming from the other. It was common knowledge that ANBU's of any nation _never_ removed their masks while on a mission. It was considered treason to do such, since it revealed their identity and could endanger their loved ones and village.

Yet the other ANBU around the fire seemed to unite with this lone shinobi, as the Iwa and Kumo ANBU alike suddenly removed their masks. They all stepped forward to stand next to the Iwa-nin, all facing Kakashi.

The original Iwa-nin gave a wry smile," We may not be able to do much more than share our grief with you; women like Haruno-san do not deserve to die before their time; men like Uchiha _do_ deserve to be mourned when they eventually pass on. But that doesn't change that war will soon come."

The Kiri team stood up, wiping their eyes dry, setting brave and determined faces on, and faced Naruto and Hinata. The Grass nin finally stepped away from the fire to face Kakashi, one even bending down to wrap a reassuring arm around Chouji's shoulder and smiled at a sleeping Ino.

The ANBU stood in front of Kakashi like a squadron of shinobi awaiting orders from their Kage, full of respect and the resolution to please the person in front of them even if it cost them their life.

"And we will be right there," the Iwa-nin continued, speaking for all that surrounded them," We will fight alongside you and Uzumaki Naruto. Lead us into battle and lead us back out victorious. We wish to build a better world, where a team can live together and stay at each other's sides; where the Five Great Nations can lean on each other and be only allies and never enemies; where we ANBU can take a mission and not wonder whether it's the right choice or not."

"We will fight _for_ you, shinobi of Konoha. To help build a better world. A world where _you_," he nodded towards an amazed Naruto," can build a Konoha _they_," he nodded his head towards the fire," can be proud of."


	12. Won't You Take Me By the Hand

It was so much colder here than she was used to, and Temari shivered because of it. She pulled her cloak (courtesy of her big brother, Sasuke) closer to herself, big blue eyes glancing over to her three brothers. Gaara seemed unaffected by the cold weather, refusing to show his discomfort and merely sat by the campfire with lost eyes. It had been two days since their beloved caretaker had tried killing her youngest brother, and though a part of her despised Yashimaru for what she almost did, Temari still missed her. She had been the closest thing to a mother they had had left, for Temari barely remembered their own mother.

Still, she found it so hard to believe that her aunt had done such a thing, and when she looked at Gaara, she imagined that it was even harder for him. Yashimaru had been Gaara's only friend, only trusted person, at least until Sasuke had shown up. Neither she nor Kankuro knew what exactly happened that night, and Sasuke only told Baki in secret when he returned home with a grief stricken Gaara. Temari will never forget the tears pouring down her little brother's face, silent and mournful as he clutched to Sasuke's shirt, and then to Baki as Sasuke allowed one final goodbye.

"Goodbye, little ones," Baki whispered to them, face stern and composed, as was expected for a Suna Jounin. But Temari, the ever observant one, noticed the sadness and despair in his eyes as he continued," Should you ever return, may it be to a better Sunagakure."

They left Suna that night, and hadn't looked back since. That was two nights ago, and one of those spent being carried by Sasuke's clones in their haste to escape the village. Their time was spent traveling in silence, and hardly a word was said between all of them. Even Kankuro was unusually quiet, lost somewhere awkwardly between his confusion and sadness for the situation, and his usual hyper personality. He merely sat next to Temari, not sure how to comfort Gaara, yet wanting comfort of his own but didn't know how to ask for it.

They had asked Sasuke only one question, and that was to ask where they were going. He had just smirked and scoffed, as if amused by some inside joke that none of them understood. "To Konoha," he replied, staring off in the distance, as if lost in his own memories," The one place I swore I would never return to."

And that was when Temari discovered that though Sasuke originally told them he came from Oto; the place that he truly came from, his _home_ was none other than Konohagakure.

…

Sakura felt at peace once again, and she knew she should hate herself for it. Perhaps tomorrow, she would realize her stupidity and would hate herself for tonight's actions, but right now, she only felt comfort and satisfaction.

"I am afraid my chakra is not meant to heal like yours," Itachi stated, sounding only a little put off, but she could sense his frustration underneath his tone. This man sitting crosslegged in front of her on her bed was the sole reason why she was at peace, and why she was not.

Smiling at him and his frustration, Sakura uncrossed her legs and let one stretch across the bed beside him. He kept looking at his palm, where a small self induced cut had been wrought, trying to form his chakra into something that could heal. He had the signs for the Mystic Palm technique down perfectly, and after watching Sakura with his Sharingan, could masterfully summon the correct amount of chakra, but for some reason, the cut just wouldn't heal.

How did they end up here, you ask? Itachi had a mission tomorrow, an S-ranked one, and Sakura somehow got wind of it. It would take two days to complete and return, or so he said, but he grudgingly admitted that there was not a medic-nin that could join them on their squad. Once hearing this, Sakura protested violently, offering to go herself, but Itachi merely shook his head.

_"I'm not going with my teammates, Shisui and Mei,"_ he said, but instead with another team he often worked with in ANBU. And ANBU were paranoid and did _not_ like newcomers to the team, despite his own recommendation. Though he was the captain and had no doubt that they would grudgingly accept her into the team, it could end disastrous should they come across trouble. Teaming Sakura up with a team whom she'd never met, it was guaranteed that she would have no dynamics with them. 'Better safe then sorry,' Shisui had offered.

In the end, it was Shisui himself who suggested that Sakura help Itachi learn at least the mystic palm jutsu. Surprisingly, it was Sakura who was first hesitant about teaching Itachi to ability to heal. Itachi, on the other hand, had been ecstatic. Well, as ecstatic as an Uchiha could be, which meant that he did his best to be _very_ persuasive and convince her to teach him.

So here she was, the humble single female of Team 7, _teaching_ the great Uchiha prodigy how to heal a simple cut. Unfortunately, that had been over two hours ago and they were well into the night now.

Yawning and fighting to keep her eyes open, Sakura shrugged off his inability to master the Mystic Palm," Not everyone is compatible with healing jutsus. It's more than just chakra control and technique. Shishou once explained to me that it's like pouring your soul into your chakra; you have to _want_ to heal it with all your heart and soul, or else it won't work."

As she yawned again with her eyes closed, she didn't see the small smile appear on Itachi's face. "That's quite… philosophical…" he mused," Especially for a jutsu. Most of the medics I've seen almost appear bored."

Returning his thoughtful gaze with a shrug and smirk, Sakura amended," Well, Shishou and I are… passionate about our profession."

"So it seems."

"Let's just call it a night," she changed the subject, and made to prepare for bed. Holding in a yawn once again, she reached across to grab the kunai sitting by Itachi, the one he had used to cut open his palm. Best to get it out of the way and then she'd heal his hand before bed.

She must have been more tired than she thought, for the next thing she knew, she felt sharp metal cut into her flesh and a few droplets of blood started beading up. She had accidentally grabbed the blade of the weapon.

Before she could pull her hand back and heal it, Itachi's hand shot out and encircled her wrist. At first, she was startled beyond belief and began to pull away, but froze at the contemplative look on his face. His dark eyes were fixated on the small wound as he turned it face up, the blood a stark contrast against her pale skin.

Then she saw his other hand light up a pale green color.

Without a word, Itachi moved his other hand towards her own, rendering her speechless with the intensity she found in his eyes. A flash, and her cut was healed, leaving not so much as a scar behind.

It was only then that Itachi blinked and seemed to have realized what he had just done, letting her wrist fall out of his hand. Sakura slowly pulled her hand back, glancing at the palm. A perfect heal.

"Itachi?" amazed, she turned green eyes to his, noting the somber expression he held as he stared at his own hand, the one that had lit up green. "How did you?" she could only question," You couldn't do it for hours, but then you…?"

For the longest moment, she thought he wouldn't say anything as he continued staring at his hand. Slowly, he closed his fingers and lowered his hand.

In a quiet voice, he merely said," Because it wasn't me."

Before she could question what that meant, he stood up abruptly. "It is getting late," he said quickly, nodding at her," Thank you for your help, Sakura-san. I will prepare for my mission tomorrow, so I will spend the night in the living room. " Never before had Sakura seen anyone bid adieu and then beat it out the door, softly closing it behind him.

"What…?" she could only sit there on the bed, staring at the closed door.

…

On the other side of the door, Itachi leaned against the cool wood. Slowly, almost fearfully, he lifted his hand up to his face, eyeing the cut still remaining in his palm.

He focused his chakra and attempted to summon the healing green chakra he just performed. A long moment passed… and nothing happened. The cut wouldn't heal.

Sighing in defeat, he let his arm fall and buried his head in his other hand. A hopeless smile upturned his lips as he chuckled at the irony of it all.

"Because I wasn't the one injured."


End file.
